the nitty-gritty

noun

informal

: the most important and basic facts or details about something

He deals with the nitty-gritty of running the department.

Let's get down to the nitty-gritty and find out what happened.

Examples of the nitty-gritty in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The quick start guide is helpful for getting the microwave ready to use, while a more extensive booklet provides the nitty-gritty details on settings and modes like the sophisticated sensor-reheating functions (more on that later). — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026

Now fighting his own deportation, Mo helped connect Stefani with the Chinese American constituency that makes up a large part of her district, and got into the nitty-gritty with constituent services, according to his colleagues. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Then there are fans of the games who specifically love the lore and the characters and the nitty-gritty details of the backstory. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026

Directors talked about their need to have healthy disagreements and to set a better example for students without getting into the nitty-gritty of the allegations. — Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 9 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for the nitty-gritty

• catholicity
• ellipticity
• historicity
• mutuality
• bitty
• city
• ditty
• gritty
• kitty
• nitty
• pity
• pretty