ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fussy

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈfəsi// UK //fˈʌsi// fussy

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.


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.

Synonyms
Origin

From fuss + -y.

Usage

Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'become', or 'get'. Frequently takes the preposition 'about'.

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