Fussy describes someone who is hard to please or pays too much attention to small details. A fussy eater might refuse to eat perfectly good food because the pasta touches the sauce, or because they don't like how a vegetable looks on their plate. A fussy person might complain that their pillow isn't fluffed exactly right or that their pencils aren't arranged in perfect order.

Being fussy usually means getting bothered by things that most people wouldn't even notice. A fussy baby cries over minor discomforts and can't be easily soothed. A fussy dresser might change outfits five times because each shirt feels slightly wrong. A fussy editor might spend twenty minutes debating whether to use one word or another when either would work fine.

The word carries a mildly negative tone. While paying attention to details can be good, being fussy means taking it too far and creating unnecessary problems. If you're building a model airplane, being careful about the instructions shows craftsmanship. But if you refuse to continue because one tiny piece is slightly crooked, you've crossed into fussy territory.

Related words like particular or meticulous describe careful attention to detail in a more positive way, while fussy suggests someone is being unreasonably picky or difficult.