picky
Americanadjective
-
pickier,
comparative
-
pickiest
superlative
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of picky
Explanation
If you're extremely particular or fussy, you're picky. A picky eater might only eat chicken nuggets and tater tots. When you invite your picky friend to dinner, you'll probably have a hard time deciding what to serve, since she hates all vegetables; and if you're picky about sleeping in a comfortable, clean place, you might not be a fan of camping. Picky people are hard to please — they like things to be a certain way. This informal word first appeared in the 1860s.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Others said they wind up serving foods like chicken nuggets more often than they’d like because they don’t have the bandwidth for nightly battles over meals that picky eaters may or may not eat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
If the language of “reparenting” works for you, then fine: hide your vegetables the way you would for a picky kid you were responsible for keeping fed.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
“I am terrible at book clubs because I have found that I am a very picky reader who simply will not read a book that I do not enjoy,” reader Mike Gascoigne writes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
“We Germans are really picky about hygiene,” he joked.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
At ten, when her mother fretted about her picky eating, wondering if she might be anemic, Izzy declared herself a vegetarian.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
Overall, that volatility has likely turned some investors off entirely, and those that remain are pickier, leading the most volatile staples stocks to trail their more stable peers and take bigger hits from bad news.
From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026
For now, drivers say they’re being pickier about what rides they accept, cutting hours and are looking at other ways to make money.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2026
CEO Kecia Steelman, during Ulta’s earnings call, said the pickier consumer sentiment seen last year would likely be alive and well this year.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 12, 2026
"I've started to say no and not just take any job that's kind of coming my way. I'm being pickier," she says.
From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026
Americans from less-affluent households are becoming pickier about the purchases they make.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 15, 2025
This gift includes two dozen East Coast oysters that are sure to impress even the pickiest connoisseur.
From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2024
Her approach will be accessible to the pickiest readers, layering personal anecdotes with a visit to a gene-sequencing lab, heavy on compassion and light on jargon.
From New York Times ● Feb. 17, 2022
If ugly sweater patterns or footy pajamas aren’t going to make the cut, then maybe LilySilk’s highly sought-after trimmed pajamas will be enough to please the pickiest fashion fans.
From Fox News ● Dec. 15, 2021
Call the Closer In this new home improvement show, real estate expert Lauren Risley helps buyers — even the pickiest and most demanding ones — find just the right home.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 2021
Gramps implored us, but for four old guys, his friends were the pickiest eaters I'd ever known.
From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
