petty

petty — adjective

1. having a low position, or mattering so little that it does not deserve much atte

1.adjectiveC2
Definition

having a low position, or mattering so little that it does not deserve much attention

Example

The mayor refused to waste time on a petty argument about parking signs.

petty + argument

The queen ignored the petty official and asked for the chief guard.

petty + official for low rank

Common collocations
  • petty argument
  • petty detail
  • petty official
  • petty rule
  • petty concern
Synonyms
  • minor

    a close neutral synonym for something not important

  • secondary

    stresses that something is not in the first position

  • trivial

    often suggests that something can safely be ignored

  • subordinate

    more formal and often used for rank or position

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

petty argument

petty detail

petty official

petty rule

Usage Note

Usually before nouns such as detail, rule, official, and dispute. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense describes the thing as minor, while sense 3 criticizes a person's attitude to small matters.

Common Mistakes

I need a petty box for my keys.
I need a small box for my keys.
Petty is about importance or rank, not physical size.

2. causing only limited harm or concern, especially when talking about crimes or wr

2.adjectiveC2
Definition

causing only limited harm or concern, especially when talking about crimes or wrongdoing

Example

Police arrested two boys for petty theft at the station shop.

petty theft

The judge gave Lena a fine for a petty offence.

petty offence

Common collocations
  • petty crime
  • petty theft
  • petty offence
  • petty vandalism
  • petty wrongdoing
Synonyms
  • minor

    the broadest synonym for low seriousness

  • slight

    often used for small harm, damage, or injury

  • low-level

    often used for crime or illegal activity near the bottom of a scale

Antonyms
  • serious

    likely to cause real harm or strong concern

  • major

    large in degree or importance

Grammar Patterns

petty crime

petty theft

petty offence

petty vandalism

Usage Note

Usually before nouns like crime, theft, offence, and vandalism, especially in news or legal contexts. Distinguish from sense 1: both can describe something minor, but this sense focuses on low seriousness, especially in illegal or harmful acts.

Common Mistakes

The police caught him for petty.
The police caught him for petty theft.
In this sense, petty usually modifies a crime noun, not a person by itself.

3. showing an unkind habit of making a big issue out of small matters

3.adjectiveC2
Definition

showing an unkind habit of making a big issue out of small matters

Example

Nina hid the remote control in a petty fight with her brother.

petty + fight

After dinner, Marcus made a petty comment about Rosa's cheap shoes.

petty + comment

Common collocations
  • petty comment
  • petty fight
  • petty jealousy
  • petty revenge
  • petty behavior
Synonyms
  • mean

    broader and can describe many kinds of unkind behavior

  • small-minded

    stresses narrow thinking and lack of generosity

  • spiteful

    stronger and suggests a wish to hurt someone

  • childish

    focuses on immature behavior more than unkindness

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be petty about + noun

petty comment

petty fight

petty revenge

Usage Note

Often used for behavior, comments, jealousy, or revenge over very small matters. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 says the matter is minor, while this sense blames someone for reacting to it in a narrow or unkind way.

Common Mistakes

My sister is petty because she is short.
My sister is petty because she keeps mocking small mistakes.
Petty describes mean attention to small matters, not body size.

Word family

  • pettily
    adverbC2
  • pettiness
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/3

For sense 3, petty describes an unkind reaction to something small. Mean is broader: a mean person may hurt others in many ways, not only over small matters. Small-minded focuses on narrow thinking and a lack of generosity, even when there is no single rude act. Spiteful is stronger and suggests a real wish to hurt or punish someone. Childish often overlaps when the behavior is immature, but childish can also mean silly or playful, while petty is usually critical. A petty remark is small but sharp. Hiding the remote after a tiny argument is petty; breaking it on purpose would be spiteful.

mean ↗small-mindedspitefulchildish ↗

Etymology

Old FrenchAnglo-FrenchEnglish

Petty came into English from Anglo-French and Old French petit, meaning 'small'. That idea of smallness later widened to things of low importance and then to the modern sense of people who make too much of small matters.