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

It’s dramatic without being fussy, customizable without being complicated, and frankly, visually festive in a way that says we tried, but not too hard.

Read more on Salon

The fussy little cat had not left her alone since being rescued from Lord Fredrick.

Read more on Literature

Michael wanted desperately to pick it up so he could throw it away properly, but he didn’t want to look fussy.

Read more on Literature

Like many people, my garage and closets are littered with the detritus of modern life—from stacks of paperbacks and fancy china to a fussy tea maker, still swaddled in its box.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“When I’m playing, it zones out,” Anna Leigh Waters says of that unmistakable, plastic pop, pop, pop distinct to the wildly popular paddle sport—and a bane to fussy condo boards everywhere.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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