finicky

American  

[fin-i-kee] / ˈfɪn ɪ ki /

Sometimes finnicky;

adjective

finickier, finickiest

1. excessively particular or fastidious; difficult to please; fussy.

   Synonyms:

   picky, choosy, meticulous, demanding, exacting

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finicky British  

/ ˈfɪnɪkɪ /

adjective

1. excessively particular, as in tastes or standards; fussy

2. full of trivial detail; overelaborate

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Other Word Forms

• superfinicky adjective

Etymology

Origin of finicky

First recorded in 1815–25; finick + -y ¹

Example Sentences

The stock market has grown more finicky about which AI companies it thinks can dominate the market — and increasingly willing to punish AI plays based on earnings that are solid, but still not good enough.

From MarketWatch

Held once every four years, often in finicky environments, pressurized with all that hype, they’re less a measure of consistency than they are of momentary mettle.

From The Wall Street Journal

The humidity, temperature and finicky nature of the old press can all influence the way the printing turns out.

From The Wall Street Journal

Apple is famously finicky about details and control, including with its credit card.

From The Wall Street Journal

Two years ago, AI chatbots were too finicky and error-prone to be reliable and broadly useful to most people, says Ram Bala, an associate professor of AI at Santa Clara University.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• choosy
• fastidious
• fussy
• scrupulous
• squeamish