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

A little retro, fancy but never fussy, shrimp cocktail is festive food guests go ga-ga for.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Children who are dehydrated may cry with few or no tears and be unusually sleepy or fussy,” the CDC says.

From Los Angeles Times

That style also means that “Dust Bunny” is quite fussy and mannered and if you don’t buy in on the film’s arch humor and stylized world, you’re liable to bounce right off of it.

From Los Angeles Times

But it feels like there’s a fussy iguana in there.

From Literature

It’s a little fussier than the diner original — with a bright, spicy tuna salad made with Calabrian chili mayo and caramelized shallots, plus gooey Fontina — but the payoff is pure, molten bliss.

From Salon

Related Words

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