fussy

American  

[fuhs-ee] / ˈfʌs i /

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.

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fussy British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of fussy

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

Example Sentences

Still, How Great Can Carlos Be Is an entertaining debate for fussy old tennis to indulge.

From The Wall Street Journal

“She cried the whole visit. And I mean howled. Is she always fussy like that?”

From Literature

Sexton’s not generally fussy about her seat and says she will take whatever she’s assigned on future Southwest flights, including the dreaded middle.

From The Wall Street Journal

Such musings are engaging, though they can also seem fussy and evasive.

From The Wall Street Journal

“We all feel it,” said Frieda Cohen, a fussy woman who had, more than once, snuck her cat with her into services when she was alive.

From Literature

Related Words

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