petty
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Most of Haymon’s 26-year legal career has been in the public defender’s office, handling juvenile and adult cases that range from petty theft to homicide.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
During his testimony and cross-examination on Tuesday and Wednesday, he looked petty and pugilistic, offering answers inconsistent with his deposition and quibbling with defense attorney William Savitt over yes-or-no questions for hours.
From Slate • Apr. 30, 2026
Judge Richard Eaton got his start as a Village Justice for Cooperstown, N.Y., handling petty crimes and small-dollar disputes in the tiny rural region, with a population around 2,000.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026
Opened in 1873, the privately operated detention facility housed petty delinquents and orphans, said Marc Schindler, a professor at Georgetown who leads the project.
From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026
“That we are made for more than our desires. That pride combined with stubbornness can be disaster. And that compared with love, malice is a small and petty thing.”
From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt
Vocabulary lists containing petty
"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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I Am Malala
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Even More Negative Words to Describe a Person
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