1
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
predictably, the kids riding in the back were fussy passengers, always asking "Are we there yet?"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in finicky
hard to please
cats have a well-deserved reputation for being fussy eaters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in careful
taking, showing, or involving great care and effort
a fussy teacher who reads through papers two and even three times before issuing a grade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in ornate
elaborately and often excessively decorated
the room, with its rococo furniture and its overabundance of knickknacks, is just too fussy for my taste
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fussy
These clothes are fanciful, but not fussy—a perfect combo for the times.
—
Christian Allaire, Vogue, 27 Dec. 2024
But the fussy, restrictive stuff that takes a lot to figure out how to wear is just not happening.
—Mark Holgate, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2024
Compared with the fussy mechanics, the electronics were a breeze to construct.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Jan. 2025
This is something to watch out for in children and the elderly in particular — children may not produce tears when crying, or be unusually fussy or sleepy, if they are dehydrated.
—Mustafa Fattah, NBC News, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fussy 
Christian Allaire, Vogue, 27 Dec. 2024
But the fussy, restrictive stuff that takes a lot to figure out how to wear is just not happening.
—Mark Holgate, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2024
Compared with the fussy mechanics, the electronics were a breeze to construct.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Jan. 2025
This is something to watch out for in children and the elderly in particular — children may not produce tears when crying, or be unusually fussy or sleepy, if they are dehydrated.
—Mustafa Fattah, NBC News, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fussy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fussy
Adjective
-
According to Owens, excellence is impossible for a restless soul.—
Leslie D. Rose,
Parents,
19 Feb. 2025
-
Osborn can sound like a factory man from a Bruce Springsteen song, a character whose youthful exuberance and restless sense of escape have been tempered by life’s hard awakenings.—
Jeffrey Fleishman,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
But there are many other types of ferns that are much less finicky indoors, including lemon button fern, crocodile fern, and bird’s nest fern.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2025
-
Some houseplants are finicky about humidity, but African violets are usually content with standard household humidity levels.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Under Jones’ careful direction, the Bulldogs do not beat themselves.—
Jim Root,
The Athletic,
19 Feb. 2025
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Effective brainstorming sessions require careful planning and prep.—
Nora Herting,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The dress also featured an ornate cape with even more glittering details throughout.—
Julia Teti,
WWD,
13 Feb. 2025
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In addition to her sparkly rings and impressive earring stack (studs, hoops and pendants, oh my!), her bejeweled nails brought some additional bling with their ornate gold charms.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
This misalignment impairs your sleep and concentration, and can leave you feeling irritable.—
Mackenzie Gamble,
The Conversation,
10 Feb. 2025
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Here’s one way to take your mind off a certain election that seems to have everyone tense and irritable these days — consider that Tahoe ski season is almost here.—
Randy McMullen,
The Mercury News,
31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The ice cream machines at McDonald’s are notoriously picky and will stop working for a variety of reasons.—
Jason Ogaard,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Gregory’s picky eating has been a long-running gag on the show, but when Erica bails on a hard-to-get reservation, Barbara encourages Gregory to fill in so Janine doesn’t have to cancel.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Follow the marvelously meticulous writer of this newsletter on social media @jimreineking.—
Jim Reineking,
USA TODAY,
18 Feb. 2025
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Being meticulous scored points with a couple of people who went with Evan Bouchard.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Atop all this, Floria is charged with supervising nervous, error-prone student nurse Amelie (Selma) — tempers fray as precious time runs out.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
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In the final round, a nervous Castle missed his first four dunk attempts for his first dunk of the round, before finishing with pizzaz on a between-the-legs up-and-under one-handed flush.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
16 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near fussy
Cite this Entry
“Fussy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fussy. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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