picayune
noun
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Definition of picayune
(Entry 1 of 2)
picayune
adjectiveDefinition of picayune (Entry 2 of 2)
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Other Words from picayune
Adjective
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adjective
Synonyms & Antonyms for picayune
Synonyms: Noun
bagatelle, child's play, frippery, nonproblem, nothing, shuck(s), small beer, small change, trifle, triviality
Synonyms: Adjective
illiberal, insular, Lilliputian, little, narrow, narrow-minded, parochial, petty, provincial, sectarian, small, small-minded
Antonyms: Adjective
broad-minded, catholic, cosmopolitan, liberal, open, open-minded, receptive, tolerant
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Examples of picayune in a Sentence
Noun
our lives don't amount to a picayune in the great scheme of thingsAdjective
They argued over the most picayune details. the picayune ponderings of a commentator who steadfastly believes other cultures are inferior to our own
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
However picayune and pitifully old-fashioned the bereavement may seem to most people, for me the erosion of style, clarity, and precision in everyday speech and prose is a loss. — Lionel Shriver, Harper's magazine, "Semantic Drift," 22 July 2019 These rules may seem picayune, but frequent fliers take them seriously. — Christopher Elliott, The Seattle Times, "Travel Wise | On airplanes, personal space is a vanishing commodity. Here’s how to cope.," 22 Oct. 2018 No detail was too insignificant; no question too picayune for our scrutiny. — Sarah Lyall, BostonGlobe.com, "There’s a big wedding Saturday. Something about a prince marrying an American," 15 May 2018 No detail was too insignificant; no question too picayune for our scrutiny. — Sarah Lyall, BostonGlobe.com, "There’s a big wedding Saturday. Something about a prince marrying an American," 15 May 2018 More often than not, the police station fielded neighborhood disputes that were remarkable for their picayune character. — Rukmini Callimachi, New York Times, "The Case of the Purloined Poultry: How ISIS Prosecuted Petty Crime," 1 July 2018 The cascade of picayune tariffs and aggressive trade rhetoric directed indiscriminately against allies and competitors alike could inflict lasting damage on US companies’ ability to compete globally. — Zachary Karabell, WIRED, "Trump's Trade War Won't Hurt China. It Could Hurt US Tech," 27 June 2018 No detail was too insignificant; no question too picayune for our scrutiny. — Sarah Lyall, BostonGlobe.com, "There’s a big wedding Saturday. Something about a prince marrying an American," 15 May 2018 No detail was too insignificant; no question too picayune for our scrutiny. — Sarah Lyall, BostonGlobe.com, "There’s a big wedding Saturday. Something about a prince marrying an American," 15 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'picayune.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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