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What's the word for someone who is impossible to please?
The word you're looking for
Fastidious means having very high, particular standards that are hard to satisfy. A fastidious person is meticulous about detail, cleanliness, or taste — so exacting that nearly nothing meets their expectations.
Other words that fit
Use this when the person makes rigorous, impossible demands on others; emphasizes the severity of standards more than personal taste.
Use when the person constantly finds fault and makes petty criticisms; focuses on fault-finding rather than perfectionist standards.
Use in casual, informal speech for someone who is fussy about choices; less formal and more conversational than fastidious.
Why this word
A fastidious person has such particular and exacting standards that they are almost impossible to please. This word often relates to cleanliness, order, or aesthetic taste, and it suggests someone who notices every flaw or imperfection. Fastidious can be positive (showing care and precision) or negative (unreasonably rigid), depending on context. It differs from captious, which emphasizes constant fault-finding, and from exacting, which stresses making high demands on others. In everyday use, fastidious is the most direct and neutral way to describe someone whose standards keep them perpetually unsatisfied."
In context
- My fastidious boss rejects our reports if there's even one formatting mistake.
- A fastidious art collector will pass over masterpieces that don't match their exact vision.
- She's fastidious about her workspace; no colleague's help ever meets her standards.
Other concepts to find a word for
Frequently asked questions
- Is fastidious always a negative word?
- No. Fastidious can be positive (showing careful attention to quality) or negative (being unreasonably picky), depending on context and degree. A fastidious editor improves writing; a fastidious boss may frustrate their team.
- What's the difference between fastidious and exacting?
- Fastidious emphasizes personal standards and preferences; exacting emphasizes making high demands on others. A fastidious collector values perfect condition; an exacting manager demands perfection from their staff.
- Can you use fastidious about food?
- Yes, very commonly. A fastidious eater avoids certain foods or preparations and is hard to please at restaurants.
- Is there a noun form for a fastidious person?
- Not a common one-word noun. You say 'a fastidious person' or use informal terms like 'perfectionist' or 'nitpicker,' but fastidious (the adjective) is the standard term.