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
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
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
Crawford said Hodinkee readers are looking for long-form content on brand history or nitty-gritty technical facets of the industry.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
While Druski is the mastermind behind the video, the Picasso responsible for that perfect blend of white makeup, fake tattoos, and farmer’s tan is Georgia makeup artist Kaylee Kehne-Swisher, who specializes in everything from commercial touchups and makeovers to nitty-gritty film special effects.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
For now, the main hurdles are more mundane, related to nitty-gritty logistics of a startup bank in an industry suited to mega-banks.
—Ann Rutledge, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
LeAnn Rimes dove deep into some nitty-gritty topics in her Flow Space cover story published Monday (July 7), from the precarious beginnings of her relationship with husband Eddie Cibrian to the dental issues that led to her teeth falling out mid-concert in a viral moment last month.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 7 July 2025
The woman who made a career singing about dating her high school teachers, about burning rubber and kissing ass, about being a nitty-gritty dirty little freak.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Sep. 2018
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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
Crawford said Hodinkee readers are looking for long-form content on brand history or nitty-gritty technical facets of the industry.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
While Druski is the mastermind behind the video, the Picasso responsible for that perfect blend of white makeup, fake tattoos, and farmer’s tan is Georgia makeup artist Kaylee Kehne-Swisher, who specializes in everything from commercial touchups and makeovers to nitty-gritty film special effects.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
For now, the main hurdles are more mundane, related to nitty-gritty logistics of a startup bank in an industry suited to mega-banks.
—Ann Rutledge, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
LeAnn Rimes dove deep into some nitty-gritty topics in her Flow Space cover story published Monday (July 7), from the precarious beginnings of her relationship with husband Eddie Cibrian to the dental issues that led to her teeth falling out mid-concert in a viral moment last month.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 7 July 2025
The woman who made a career singing about dating her high school teachers, about burning rubber and kissing ass, about being a nitty-gritty dirty little freak.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Sep. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Nitty-gritty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nitty-gritty. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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