"petty remark" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It refers to a small or insignificant comment that is unkind or hurtful. It can be used in any situation where someone makes a negative or critical statement that is not necessary or relevant. Example: Sarah couldn't help but roll her eyes at her coworker's petty remark about her coffee mug being "too girly." She knew it was just a small comment, but it still bothered her.
This is McChrystal's greatest disservice to his Commander in Chief, much more serious than the personal affront of his petty remarks about the President's war team.
Rise above their petty remarks and be a genuine and universally friendly person in return.
"Every day, I'm pretty sure, I commit a number of petty offenses," Gardner remarked.
A clown called Ben Wallace said that the thing that really undermined security was [Labour's] "petty point-scoring", a remark so ludicrous that it caused some opposition MPs to hyperventilate noisily from a combination of rage and mirth.
He also ripped into comments made by Clinton surrogates hinting at Obama's past drug use, calling the remarks "negative in the worst, petty way," especially in the light of Bill Clinton's admitted use of marijuana.
In one video clip, Arnold Palmer browbeats a fellow golfer into hustling to the tee box by sarcastically saying, "While we're young!" The unintended result of the snide remark, however, is that Palmer comes off as petty and small-minded.
King said he did not know the full context of Akin's remarks, but characterized the criticism as "petty, personal attacks".
As Mr. Adams tells it, his complaint arose out of a petty incident: His co-workers liked to make crude remarks about the customers behind their backs.
He later apologizes for the remark, and Amaechi comments: "It is ridiculous, absurd, petty, bigoted and shows a lack of empathy that is gargantuan and unfathomable.
Mr. Spicer was responding to remarks made by Bill Owens — the father of Chief Petty Officer William Owens, a Navy SEAL team member known as Ryan — who has called for an investigation into the raid in Yemen during which his son was killed.
