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.

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

“The common sense of mankind demands that law shall not stop with the punishment of petty crimes by little people. It must also reach men who possess themselves of great power.”

From Salon • Feb. 26, 2026

The festival, which began on Friday and runs until next Saturday, attracts millions of visitors and locals each year to its street parties and parades - but there is often a spike in petty crime.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

The words were petty, but I knew what he meant.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

But Ophie already realized what it likely was, and was moving toward the window, the cousins and their petty cruelties forgotten for the moment.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland