1
as in small
not broad or open in views or opinions
a petty little town that was not ethnically diverse and very happy about the situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
obsessed over even petty problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petty
Their petty thief characters in Philadelphia posed as DEA agents to rob smalltime drug dealers, only to become targets of a massive and deadly narcotics enterprise.
—
Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2025
And then there is a tinge of shame for feeling it because it’s viewed as a petty, base emotion.
—Andrea Kane, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025
This might seem like a pretty petty issue to spend weeks of time and attention debunking.
—Ars Technica, 15 Feb. 2025
What does revoking Biden's security clearance accomplish other than satisfy a petty grievance of a childish man?
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petty
Adjective
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Hang it in a small bathroom for over-the-toilet storage or in the laundry room for detergent and stain removers—this versatile cabinet can do it all.—
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Enceladus regularly emits frosty water geysers, produced when the gravity of Saturn flexes the much smaller moon.—
Adjective
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Cultural battles are waged over single-gender bathrooms, diversity quotas, and female sports leagues — all under the same nominal movement.—
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That term traditionally implies a nominal or even negligible sum of money, which this was not.—
Adjective
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This may seem like an impossible task in a world where politics is becoming more divisive, foreign policy more parochial, and social media bubbles more impenetrable.—
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For more than a century, religious education had been deeply entrenched in the state; in Cleveland, the parochial system was one of the largest in the country.—
Adjective
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While some areas are seeing increases, others are experiencing stability or even slight declines, as the bulk of the seasonal transition has yet to significantly impact gasoline prices— certainly good news for motorists.—
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But if Maxey asserts himself as a nightly threat to erupt for 25-plus points, Embiid could take a slight step back on offense next season.—
Adjective
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Last night’s special had a comparatively narrow focus, prioritizing the characters and celebrities that many younger viewers would recognize.—
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The gap is quite narrow in some places, like Delaware and Maryland, but in places like Kentucky, systemic racial barriers continue to hold people back.—
Adjective
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In a few segments, like one in which toddlers enact a hardboiled film noir plot, the show’s low-stakes humor blends most successfully with its aspiration to tell some small but not trivial truths around things like being a parent, being a sibling, and growing up.—
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This is where seemingly trivial activities can make a big difference.—
Adjective
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That means there’s little impetus for interest rate cuts to support job growth.—
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Many Manchester United supporters still lament the removal of the words ‘Football Club’ from the crest in 1998 — controversial at the time, but the same words or the initials ‘F.C.’ are now regularly dispensed with little comment.—
Adjective
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And yet the movie’s insularity feels trifling and empty.—
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The cost to find these answers, even in the near term, is relatively trifling.—
Cite this Entry
“Petty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petty. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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