as in careful
hard to please
an Oxford don who's definitely a pernickety old chap
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Recent Examples of pernickety
Perhaps this pernickety attention to detail is just the next logical step after years of falsification?
—
Raven Smith, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2020
Raven Smith, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pernickety
Adjective
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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
-
So, see ya, thirsty lawns and farewell, finicky flowers!—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Some wireless pads are finicky, with the phone needing to be in a perfect spot to catch a charge.—
Kristan Hawkins,
Newsweek,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Jonathan Pryce plays the persnickety headmaster who prefers to keep politics outside the school walls.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 Sep. 2024
-
Kurkdjian’s policies as head of the department reflect both a persnickety attention to detail and an obsession with creative autonomy.—
Rachel Syme,
The New Yorker,
16 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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Per the complaint, Wiles emailed the AP on Feb. 18, saying that their attention was focused on the AP in particular.—
Caitlin Huston,
The Hollywood Reporter,
21 Feb. 2025
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City leaders under fire Bass is facing criticism over two issues in particular: a funding cut to the Los Angeles Fire Department in the fire-prone region and the timing of a diplomatic trip to Ghana as dangerous fire conditions loomed.—
Michael Loria,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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If all that seems too fussy, remember that there's always no-bake cheesecakes.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
22 Feb. 2025
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Healy initially comes across as a well-meaning older boss, if a bit fussy and defensive, and her comically compliant assistant Sandra (Ashlyn Lozano) takes her own notes during the meeting, with her back to much of the audience.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Its growth comes at a challenging time for startups, as investors have generally been cautious and picky about where to put their money.—
Katie Peralta Soloff,
Axios,
19 Jan. 2025
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Add a gallon of water for pets with picky stomachs.—
Annemarie Dooling,
USA TODAY,
8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The girls are both members of the school’s choir, a traditionalist institution overseen with fastidious strictness by conductor Bojan (Saša Tabaković), whose preferred repertoire of dusty hymns and local folk songs gives the girls a collective air of ethereal purity when singing.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2025
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On the other hand, if the EU is being hit with billions in tariffs, then a view in Europe could develop that poor treatment from the U.S. requires being fastidious about Pillar Two rules.—
Eric Rosenbaum,
CNBC,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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As agriculture became less demanding, the sector required fewer workers, enabling erstwhile farmers to work in a spectrum of other trades, including the high-technology industries of each generation, such as textiles, telegraphs, and telecommunications.—
Matthew J. Slaughter,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
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Find early investors in your circle of family and friends, since outside investors may be very demanding on equity and content and normally require at least a prototype to start.—
Martin Zwilling,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pernickety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pernickety. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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