adjective

fussy

FUH-see

Fussy (adjective) means Overly concerned with small details; hard to satisfy. Example: “My grandfather is fussy about how his tea is made.”

adjective

Overly concerned with small details; hard to satisfy.

"My grandfather is fussy about how his tea is made."

"She's fussy about her food and won't eat anything with sauce on it."

Easily upset or irritable, especially describing a baby.

"The baby gets fussy when he's overtired."

"She was a fussy toddler who cried at bedtime every night."

Cluttered with too much unnecessary detail or decoration.

"The wallpaper pattern was too fussy for such a small room."

How to use fussy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishPicky or hard to please over small things — or, for a baby, easily irritated and hard to settle.

Memory tip

"Fussy about" or "fussy over" something is the common pattern: fussy about food, fussy about details.

Trace the full origin ↓

Common pairings

fussy about details fussy eater fussy baby

Word forms

fussier comparative, fussiest superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

My grandfather is _____ about how his tea is made.

Etymology

From fuss + the adjective-forming suffix -y.

Rhymes for fussy

hussy pussy wussy Debussy

See all rhymes for fussy →

Frequently asked questions

What does “fussy” mean?

The word “fussy” means overly concerned with small details; hard to satisfy. In plain terms, picky or hard to please over small things — or, for a baby, easily irritated and hard to settle.

How do you pronounce “fussy”?

“Fussy” is pronounced FUH-see (/ˈfʌ.si/ in IPA).

How do you use “fussy” in a sentence?

Here is “fussy” used in a sentence: “My grandfather is fussy about how his tea is made.”

What part of speech is “fussy”?

“Fussy” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “fussy” have?

“Fussy” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: overly concerned with small details; hard to satisfy.