finicky

IPA/ˈfɪnɪki/
KK[fˈɪnəki]IPA/ˈfɪnɪki/

finicky — adjective

  • finickypositive
  • more finickycomparative
  • most finickysuperlative

1. A finicky person or animal will only accept things that match their very specifi

1.形容詞B2
釋義

A finicky person or animal will only accept things that match their very specific preferences and is hard to satisfy — often about food, clothes, or small daily choices.

例句

Hana is finicky about her coffee and won't drink anything but a flat white.

collocation: finicky about [food/drink]

The finicky cat pushed the bowl across the floor without taking a single bite.

同義詞
  • picky

    more everyday, especially about food; less formal than finicky

  • fussy

    implies complaining about small things; slightly more negative in tone

  • choosy

    most casual; suggests having many options to reject

  • fastidious

    more formal; can be positive — caring deeply about details rather than just rejecting things

反義詞
  • easygoing

    relaxed and not demanding; the opposite in temperament

  • undemanding

    happy with whatever is offered; asks very little

用法筆記

Subject is usually a person or animal, not an object. Most often used about eating habits and food choices.

常見錯誤

❌This puzzle is so finicky, I can't solve it.
✅This puzzle is so fiddly, I can't solve it.
💡Sense 1 describes a person or animal who is hard to please. For a task or object with small tricky parts, use sense 2 or the word 'fiddly'.

2. A finicky task, device, or process has many small, precise parts or steps that m

2.形容詞B2
釋義

A finicky task, device, or process has many small, precise parts or steps that make it tricky to handle or get right.

例句

Fixing the old cuckoo clock was finicky work with tiny springs and gears everywhere.

collocation: finicky work / finicky job

The finicky lock on the back gate needs the key turned just so to open.

同義詞
  • fiddly

    more informal and common in British English; very close in meaning

  • tricky

    broader — can describe any difficult situation, not just detail-heavy ones

  • delicate

    emphasises fragility and the risk of breaking something, not just small parts

反義詞
  • straightforward

    easy to do with no hidden complications

  • simple

    having few parts or steps; the opposite of detail-heavy

用法筆記

Subject is always a task, object, device, or process — never a person. Distinguish from sense 1 (HARD TO PLEASE), which describes people and animals.

常見錯誤

❌My brother is so finicky about his model trains — he spends hours adjusting them.
✅This is actually correct usage, but the meaning here is sense 2 (the trains themselves are finicky to adjust), not sense 1. If you mean he's picky about which trains he buys, use sense 1.