trifling
/ˈtɹaɪfliŋ/adjective, noun, verb
trifling is spelled T-R-I-F-L-I-N-G: 8 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 42,145th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, trifling means “Trivial, or of little importance” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in trifling?
| Letters | 8: T-R-I-F-L-I-N-G |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 42,145th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is trifling?
Trifling appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 42,145th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce trifling?
- /ˈtɹaɪfliŋ/
Trifling has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-trifling.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with trifling?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as trifling.
Spelled with the same letters in another order: flirting.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of trifling
- more trifling comparative
- most trifling superlative
- triflings plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does trifling mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Trivial, or of little importance.
- 2
Frivolous.
- 3
Good-for-nothing; shady or lazy; scrub.
You trifling good for nothin’ type of brother.
noun
- 1
The act of one who trifles; frivolous behaviour.
verb
- 1
present participle and gerund of trifle
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Trifling in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | futile |
| German | unbedeutend , Leichtfertigkeit, leichtfertiges Benehmen |
| Portuguese | trivial, insignificante |
| Spanish | trivial, de pitiminí, de chichinabo, de chicha y nabo, insignificante, sin importancia |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does trifling come from?
By surface analysis, trifle + -ing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).