Word
Definition
adj. hard to please because you care too much about small, unimportant details. You use this to describe someone who is very picky about what they like or how things are done.
adj. excessively concerned with or fastidious about trivial details; difficult to satisfy. Often used to describe children's eating habits or an overly decorative style.
Examples
“My cat is very fussy about what brand of food she eats.”
“The new manager is quite fussy about the office layout and insists that every desk remains perfectly tidy.”
“The interior designer avoided using fussy patterns or elaborate ornaments, preferring a minimalist aesthetic that focused on clean lines and natural light.”
Examples
simple
“My cat is very fussy about what brand of food she eats.”
contextual
“The new manager is quite fussy about the office layout and insists that every desk remains perfectly tidy.”
complex
“The interior designer avoided using fussy patterns or elaborate ornaments, preferring a minimalist aesthetic that focused on clean lines and natural light.”
Usage
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'become', or 'get'. Frequently takes the preposition 'about'.
Real-World Examples
“For kids who are fussy eaters, freezing fruit juice or smoothies into ice pops can be a good way to help keep them cool.” Etymology
From fuss + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/fussy
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0