trifling

Pluraltriflings

1. 1
   minoradjective

   Small and not very important.

   Don't worry about such a trifling mistake.

   The cost of the repair was trifling.

   UsageOften in a trifling sum, a very small amount.

   Similartrivial, minor, petty, insignificant, negligible

   Oppositeimportant, significant, considerable, serious

   Note
2. 2
   mess aroundverb

   Present participle and gerund of trifle: treating someone or something too lightly, or wasting time on unimportant things.

   You shouldn't be trifling with something as serious as your health.

   Trifling with other people's money can get you into trouble.

   UsageOften trifling with someone's feelings: not taking them seriously.

3. 3
   frivolousadjective

   Silly and not serious.

   He was a trifling young man who only cared about fun.

   They spent the whole day on trifling games and jokes.

   Similarfrivolous, idle, shallow, superficial

   Oppositeserious, weighty, earnest

   Note
4. 4
   no goodadjectivecolloquialUS

   Lazy, dishonest, or nasty in a way people find shameful.

   My trifling brother slept all day while I did the chores.

   Don't lend him money. He's trifling.

   Similarno-good, worthless, shiftless

   Note
5. 5
   nouncountable or uncountable

   Silly behavior, or wasting time on things that do not matter.

   He writes on the principle, of course, that in one's dotage we are privileged to return to the triflings of our infancy, and that Downing Street cannot be better employed in these days than as a chapel of ease to Eton.

   1845, George Croly, Samuel Warren

   Similarfrivolity, dalliance

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