fussy

[fuhs-ee]

adjective

fussier, fussiest 

1. excessively busy with trifles; anxious or particular about petty details.

2. hard to satisfy or please.

   a fussy eater.

   Synonyms: persnickety, finicky, choosy, particular

3. (of clothes, decoration, etc.) elaborately made, trimmed, or decorated.

   All the bric-a-brac gave the room a fussy, cluttered look.

4. full of details, especially in excess.

   His writing is so fussy I lose the thread of the story.

fussy

/ ˈfʌsɪ /

adjective

1. inclined to fuss over minor points

2. very particular about detail

3. characterized by overelaborate detail

   the furniture was too fussy to be elegant

Other Word Forms

• fussily adverb
• fussiness noun
• overfussy adjective
• unfussily adverb
• unfussiness noun
• unfussy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fussy¹

First recorded in 1825–35; fuss + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Jess said Junior was "really fussy food-wise anyway", making alternatives difficult, but hopes she can "reason with him a little bit" when he gets older.

Read more on BBC

It turns out that despite the name, Korean royal court cuisine isn’t elaborate or fussy, but rather accessible to anyone.

Read more on Salon

When her rival, Poot’s Thea, arrives underdressed, Hedda forces her into a hideous frock with fussy bows and an ungainly skirt.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

From West Village bistros to London brasseries, French cuisine — once dismissed as too heavy or too fussy — is suddenly what’s on everyone’s lips.

Read more on Salon

A multitude of fussy apps and the need to memorize countless verbal commands were a big part of the problem.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• choosy 
• conscientious 
• discriminating 
• finicky 
• scrupulous 
• squeamish