trifle

1 of 2

noun

tri·​fle ˈtrī-fəl How to pronounce trifle (audio)
Synonyms of triflenext
1
: something of little value, substance, or importance
2
: a dessert typically consisting of plain or sponge cake often soaked with wine or spirits (such as brandy or rum) and topped with layers of preserves, custard, and cream

trifle

2 of 2

verb

trifled; trifling ˈtrī-f(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce trifle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to treat someone or something as unimportant
b
: to talk in a jesting or mocking manner or with intent to delude or mislead
2
: to handle something idly

transitive verb

: to spend or waste in trifling or on trifles
trifler
ˈtrī-f(ə-)lər How to pronounce trifle (audio)
noun
Phrases
a trifle
: to some small degree : slightly
a trifle annoyed

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for trifle

trifle, toy, dally, flirt, coquet mean to deal with or act toward without serious purpose.

trifle may imply playfulness, unconcern, indulgent contempt.

to trifle with a lover's feelings

toy implies acting without full attention or serious exertion of one's powers.

a political novice toying with great issues

dally suggests indulging in thoughts or plans merely as an amusement.

dallying with the idea of building a boat someday

flirt implies an interest or attention that soon passes to another object.

flirted with one fashionable ism after another

coquet implies attracting interest or admiration without serious intention.

companies that coquet with environmentalism solely for public relations

Examples of trifle in a Sentence

Noun There's no reason to argue over such trifles. The money is a mere trifle to me. Verb do not trifle with me unless you mean to ask me to marry you spent a lazy afternoon trifling on the front porch
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Rachel's Trifle Mishap In the 1999 Thanksgiving episode, Rachel (played by Jennifer Aniston) attempts to make a classic English trifle for dessert. —Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2024 The trifle dish will ship separately from the HelloFresh meal kit ingredients. —Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
This should tell you everything about how trifling these lists are. —Remy Blumenfeld, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 The scorers of eight goals, while giving up a trifling one. —Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 24 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for trifle 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English trufle, trifle, from Anglo-French trufle, triffle fraud, trick, nonsense

Verb

Middle English truflen, triflen, from Anglo-French trufler to trick, talk nonsense

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of trifle was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing trifle

Dictionary Entries Near trifle

triflagellate

trifle

trifle with

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Trifle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trifle. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

trifle

1 of 2 noun
tri·​fle ˈtrī-fəl How to pronounce trifle (audio)
1
: something of little value or importance
2
: a dessert of sponge cake spread with jam or jelly covered with a custard and whipped cream

trifle

2 of 2 verb
trifled; trifling -f(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce trifle (audio)
1
a
: to talk in a joking manner
b
: to treat someone or something as unimportant
2
: to waste (as time or money) in trifling or on trifles
3
: to handle something idly : toy
trifler
-f(ə-)lər How to pronounce trifle (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on trifle

Nglish: Translation of trifle for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of trifle for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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