piddling

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "piddling" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe something that is trivial, insignificant, or of little value. Example: "He spent hours on piddling tasks instead of focusing on the important project deadlines."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Those horrible winter days when it's piddling down with rain!

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Since then, it has rebounded to a piddling 13%; by contrast, the ratio in Brazil was 36.5% in 2006.

The Economist

The number of visas available to students wanting to start their own business is piddling.

The Economist

A similarly piddling sum of Indian capital is in China.Elsewhere, one tiny drop of comfort came from Mr Li's visit.

The Economist

The other front-runner, Mitt Romney, focused on a separate budgetary issue at the last debate, but he may walk back his talk of zeroing out America's piddling foreign-aid budget, for Israel at least.

The Economist

Mr Dastin mentions oil rigs, which suffer from piddling bandwidth and worry about every kilobyte because it costs them a wad of money.With sufficiently large type and with images, JBIG2 provides an advantage.

The Economist

The Tory proposals to cut the taxes paid by first-time homebuyers, and to raise to £1m ($2m) the threshold at which inheritance tax is levied, were of piddling significance in fiscal terms.

The Economist

Workers and employers alike put piddling sums into such accounts.

The Economist

Enthusiastic parliamentarians long for a budget commensurate with their ambitions (the EU's amounts to a piddling 1% of GDP), and for the right to propose, rather than merely approve, new laws.

The Economist

The "piddling" camp can argue that a more modest text is also a more honest text.

The Economist

However, once it asked Texaco to seal the pits, the firm refused to spend the piddling $4m a clean-up would have cost.In 1992 Texaco handed its fields to Petroecuador, the state oil company.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "piddling" to downplay the importance of something, often with a slightly dismissive or contemptuous tone. For example: "He wasted time on piddling details instead of the main task."

Common error

While "piddling" is widely understood, it can sound informal or slightly pejorative in very formal writing. Opt for alternatives like "insignificant" or "negligible" in academic or business contexts for a more neutral tone.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "piddling" primarily functions to qualify nouns, indicating that they are insignificant or of little value. Ludwig AI confirms its common usage in various contexts to diminish the importance of something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

12%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "piddling" is a common adjective used to describe something as insignificant or trivial. Ludwig AI analysis confirms that it functions to qualify nouns, often with a dismissive tone. While grammatically correct and widely understood, it is most frequently found in news and media contexts, with its usage also appearing in formal business settings. For more formal situations, consider synonyms like "insignificant" or "negligible". Remember to use "piddling" when you want to downplay the importance of something, but be mindful of the context to avoid sounding overly informal or contemptuous.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insignificant

Replaces the original word with a direct synonym emphasizing a lack of importance.

trivial

A close synonym that highlights the lack of seriousness or value.

negligible

Indicates something so small it can be safely ignored.

paltry

Suggests something is not only small but also worthless or contemptible.

minor

Emphasizes the small scale or impact of something.

inconsequential

Highlights the lack of importance or effect.

small-time

Informal term implying a lack of ambition or significance.

petty

Implies something is small-minded or of little importance.

measly

Suggests something is ridiculously small or inadequate.

trifling

An older term highlighting the lack of significance or worth.

FAQs

How can I use "piddling" in a sentence?

The word "piddling" is used to describe something as insignificant or trivial. For example, you might say, "The amount of money he offered was a "piddling" sum," to imply it was very small and not worth much.

What's a more formal alternative to "piddling"?

If you need a more formal word, consider using alternatives like "insignificant", "negligible", or "trivial". These words convey a similar meaning but are more appropriate for academic or professional contexts.

What does "piddling" imply about something?

Besides meaning something is small or insignificant, "piddling" often implies a degree of contempt or dismissiveness. It suggests the speaker not only sees something as unimportant but also perhaps views it with some disdain.

Is it correct to use "piddling" to describe a person?

While less common, "piddling" can be used to describe a person's efforts or contributions as trivial or ineffective. For example, "His attempts to help were "piddling" at best and made no real difference."