nitpick

verb

nit·​pick ˈnit-ˌpik How to pronounce nitpick (audio)
nitpicked; nitpicking; nitpicks

intransitive verb

: to engage in nit-picking

transitive verb

: to criticize by nit-picking
… warns her lawyers not to nitpick on relatively simple matters.Deborah L. Jacobs
nitpick noun
nitpicker noun
nitpicky adjective

Examples of nitpick in a Sentence

her husband nitpicks about everything: from how she puts the plates away to how she files the bills
Recent Examples on the Web Was there really anything to nitpick in this thing? oregonlive, 10 Sep. 2023 According to Tan, these types of nitpicking reactions to public discourse could fan the flames of distrust and resentment. Time, 2 Aug. 2023 Virgo August 23-September 22 Someone might be nitpicking you. Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2023 Finding fault with his play feels like nitpicking, with the biggest strike against him being the concern of how early a team can reasonably draft even the most impressive running back prospect given the abundance of alternatives available later in the draft. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY, 28 Apr. 2023 But frankly, Houston still isn't in position to nitpick flaws that should be alleviated over time. Michael Shapiro, Chron, 17 May 2023 Men:5 things to know about Miami, including a Lawrence Central grad Women:5 things to know about Miami, including the Cavinder twins Bloomington is bigger than Miami There's some semantics and nitpicking going on here. Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Mar. 2023 Aside from the slight charging hassle, there’s not much to nitpick. Hunter Fenollol, Popular Mechanics, 23 Mar. 2023 Seehorn’s Erin, meanwhile, at first is almost a villain, nitpicking every word her husband says, not bothering to hide her disdain. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 20 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nitpick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from nit-picking

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of nitpick was in 1956

Dictionary Entries Near nitpick

Cite this Entry

“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nitpick. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

nitpick

verb
nit·​pick ˈnit-ˌpik How to pronounce nitpick (audio)
: to criticize for tiny faults that are usually of little importance
nitpicker noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!