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
1
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."
2
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."
3
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 notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Comparative
- fussier
- Superlative
- fussiest
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.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for fussy
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.
