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
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.
Or perhaps division, as outsiders begin to nitpick the juggernaut and single out which players are most important to the pursuit. Kyle Tucker, The Athletic, 4 Apr. 2024 Margins Issues are Overblown Analysts were nitpicking margins, yet this concern is overblown. Beth Kindig, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 This isn’t to nitpick but to suggest there are deeper questions about the way true crime participates in cultural imaginings of empathy that could be explored even within these productions. Alessa Dominguez, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024 Expert dealmakers know not to rush or nitpick when bargaining, says the billionaire entrepreneur and investor. Alex Koller, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nitpick 

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 12 Dec. 2024.

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
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