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Meaning & use

fusspot

noun·Advancedinformaldisapproving

Last updated

UK/ˈfʌs.pɒt/
US/ˈfʌs.pɑːt/
Usage warning: this word is disapproving. It shows a negative opinion, so take care with who and what you use it about.

Meanings

  1. nouncountableinformaldisapproving

    A person who worries too much about small, unimportant things and is hard to please.

    Grammar: Countable: you can say a fusspot or two fusspots.

    Patterns

    • a real fusspot
    • be a fusspot about something

    My uncle is a real fusspot about how the table is set.

    Don't be such a fusspot—the stain won't show.

    She's a fusspot when it comes to packing for a trip.

  2. nouncountableinformaldisapproving

    Someone who fusses over other people in an annoying or overly attentive way.

    Grammar: Countable; often used with such an or a real.

    Patterns

    • such a fusspot
    • a fusspot about someone

    He's such a fusspot—he calls me three times a day to check I'm okay.

    Stop being a fusspot and let the kids play outside.

Word forms

pluralfusspots

Common combinations

a real fusspot
My grandmother is a real fusspot about the temperature of the tea.
be a fusspot about
He's a fusspot about the way his shirts are ironed.
such a fusspot
You're such a fusspot—everything has to be perfect.
a bit of a fusspot
She's a bit of a fusspot when she's tired.
call someone a fusspot
He called me a fusspot for checking the locks twice.

Synonyms and how they differ

fussy person
A more neutral phrase; it describes the behavior rather than labeling the person.
perfectionist
Suggests someone who wants everything perfect, often in a positive or admiring way, unlike the critical fusspot.
worrier
Focuses on anxiety rather than on being hard to please.

Opposites

easygoing personrelaxed person

Word family

fuss noun
Unnecessary excitement or activity about something small.
fuss verb
To worry or complain about small things.
fussy adjective
Hard to please; caring too much about small details.
fussily adverb
In a way that shows too much attention to small details.

Commonly confused: fusspot or fussbudget? fusspot or fusspot vs. fussy?

fusspot vs fussbudget

A very close synonym, but it is mainly American English; fusspot is more common in British English.

fusspot vs fusspot vs. fussy

Fussy is an adjective; fusspot is a noun for a person. You can say 'He is fussy' or 'He is a fusspot.'

Practice

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