nitty-gritty

noun

nit·​ty-grit·​ty ˌni-tē-ˈgri-tē 

ˈni-tē-ˌgri-

: what is essential and basic : specific practical details

get down to the nitty-gritty of the problem

nitty-gritty adjective

Synonyms of nitty-gritty

• mundane

Examples of nitty-gritty in a Sentence

the governor tends to leave the nitty-gritty of running the state government to others

a look at the nitty-gritty aspects of putting out a newspaper

Recent Examples on the Web

The moment a physician writes a script, Forus’s system picks it up and processes it, figuring out nitty-gritty details like what medications a patient has tried previously and whether there are restrictions on which pharmacy can fill it. — Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 13 May 2026

And the disputes about these nitty-gritty details are philosophical as much as pragmatic. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026

Every two years, California voters are confronted with a wall of ballot measures ranging from nitty-gritty legal tweaks to sweeping changes to the state Constitution. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 21 Mar. 2026

But the film never fully dips into the aesthetic nitty-gritty of the spring show. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nitty-gritty

• intercity
• lubricity
• pugnacity
• rhythmicity
• seismicity
• sphericity
• subcommittee
• tendinitis
• bitty
• city
• ditty
• gritty

Kids Definition

nitty-gritty

noun

nit·​ty-grit·​ty

ˈnit-ē-ˌgrit-ē, 

ˌnit-ē-ˈgrit-ē

: what is essential and basic

the nitty-gritty of the problem