choosy
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of choosy
Explanation
Someone who's choosy is very particular or picky. If you're choosy about your food, you might refuse to eat at McDonald's no matter how hungry you are. Choosy people often have a reputation for being hard to please — they might take a long time to make a decision, or reject several choices as not being quite right. If you're choosy, you might hold out for the very best of something. An old TV commercial for peanut butter included the line, "Choosy moms choose Jif!" Choosy is an American English word, from choose, from the Old English root ceosan, "choose," and also "accept or approve."
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.
Following a disappointing year for software stocks, investors still have to be choosy when playing the sector, analysts say.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 5, 2026
Viewers can be choosy about how they spend their cash and time, and may not always want to gamble on a movie they’ve never heard of.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2025
While he wasn’t impressed at first, Sergio was soon pushing 28-year-old Mariana to be less choosy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025
Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos said on the call that the streaming service focuses on growing "organically" and is choosy when it comes to acquistions.
From Barron's • Oct. 21, 2025
If, on the other hand, you're forced to pay, it's wise to lower the bar and not be so choosy.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
