pettier; pettiest
1
: having secondary rank or importance : minor, subordinate
2
: having little or no importance or significance
3
: marked by or reflective of narrow interests and sympathies : small-minded
Synonyms
Examples of petty in a Sentence
a petty argument about grammar
My behavior was petty and stupid. I apologize.
Recent Examples on the Web
The leader of the British crew had reacted to this petty crime by shooting not only the thief but also a second Māori man.
—
Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
Nelson, Parton and Martell are the guiding voices on the 27-track, 80-minute-long narrative complete with swift, petty one-liners and fresh takes on centuries-old sounds.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 29 Mar. 2024
Their petty Bolshevism is a showbiz variant on power-madness but without a clear ideological agenda.
—Armond White, National Review, 29 Mar. 2024
Located in the Fourth District area of Porto Alegre, the institute has started to impact the local economy, Valério said, with new restaurants and bars opening nearby and a significant reduction in petty crimes in the area.
—Angelica Mari, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Coming back to the drama a little bit—I’m curious about, well, the petty crime, Colin.
—Hazlitt, 20 Mar. 2024
The United States is supposed to have a system that cherishes debate and rejects petty attempts to shut it down.
—The Editors, National Review, 13 Mar. 2024
Jihan had noticed that the act of matrimony transformed many of her friends’ charming suitors into petty tyrants.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Quaid’s role, a naive sailor sentenced to eight years’ time for a petty offense, nearly went to John Travolta.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024
Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
Nelson, Parton and Martell are the guiding voices on the 27-track, 80-minute-long narrative complete with swift, petty one-liners and fresh takes on centuries-old sounds.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 29 Mar. 2024
Their petty Bolshevism is a showbiz variant on power-madness but without a clear ideological agenda.
—Armond White, National Review, 29 Mar. 2024
Located in the Fourth District area of Porto Alegre, the institute has started to impact the local economy, Valério said, with new restaurants and bars opening nearby and a significant reduction in petty crimes in the area.
—Angelica Mari, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Coming back to the drama a little bit—I’m curious about, well, the petty crime, Colin.
—Hazlitt, 20 Mar. 2024
The United States is supposed to have a system that cherishes debate and rejects petty attempts to shut it down.
—The Editors, National Review, 13 Mar. 2024
Jihan had noticed that the act of matrimony transformed many of her friends’ charming suitors into petty tyrants.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Quaid’s role, a naive sailor sentenced to eight years’ time for a petty offense, nearly went to John Travolta.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'petty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near petty
Cite this Entry
“Petty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petty. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
petty
adjective
pet·ty
ˈpet-ē 
pettier; pettiest
1
: lesser in rank or importance : minor
a petty prince
2
: having little or no importance or meaning
petty details
3
: having or displaying a mean narrow-minded attitude : small-minded
Etymology
Middle English pety "small, minor," an altered form of petit (same meaning), from early French petit "small"
Legal Definition
Biographical Definition
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