as in to complain
to make often peevish criticisms or objections about matters that are minor, unimportant, or irrelevant
caviled for hours about a single sentence
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in quibble
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cavil
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2021
However, the actual interiors of this four-bedroom home are nothing to cavil at.
—Kelly Corbett, House Beautiful, 7 Oct. 2020
Verb
Naysayers often cavil that California’s economic growth depends almost entirely on Silicon Valley and the capital gains income of its wealthiest residents, but its primacy in high technology encompasses fields outside Northern California, such as biotech.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2021
However, the actual interiors of this four-bedroom home are nothing to cavil at.
—Kelly Corbett, House Beautiful, 7 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cavil
Verb
-
Trump has frequently complained that Obama’s deal included the transport of cash from the US to Iran.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
-
Plus, who can complain when the gorgeous Block Island — which, unlike Rhode Island, is actually an island — is described as New England’s Caribbean?—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
The children, it could be said without much quibble, seemed estranged from their father.—
Joy Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Sometimes little quibbles and small missteps can slide a restaurant from the 25th spot on the list to the 26th.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And the backdrop of worldwide unrest and escalating nuclear threat is subtle to a fault, though that’s just nitpicking.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
-
Now, Cleveland desperately needs some guys with track records — Steven Kwan, Kyle Manzardo and, if nitpicking, José Ramírez — to show signs of life, and the club could flaunt its most formidable offense in years.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
The victim got into a quarrel inside Bob’s Classic Barber Shop on Albany Ave.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
10 June 2026
-
What was a calm discussion turned into a quarrel, and the new director of the facility came out to see what was going on.—
Amer Matar,
The Dial,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
No need to fuss-up something that's just as delicious prepared simply.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
5 June 2026
-
You're tuckered out but still a bit hungry and don't want to fuss?—
Anne Bratskeir,
Travel + Leisure,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Certainly, there’s no doubt that your environment makes a difference to your wellbeing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
There remains little doubt in this old scout’s mind that Shohei Ohtani remains the best baseball player on the planet.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
But the viewers who moaned about struggling to hear the opening-ceremony performance could have easily filled in the blanks.—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
11 June 2026
-
And yes, that sound will dissipate and soon will be too faint for my human ears as it is absorbed into space, but Renee Gladman writes that spaces moan.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
That means this long-running dispute is going to rumble on for some time yet.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2025
-
In 2018, Kushner’s relationship with Videgaray was a crucial palliative, as the two men worked to resolve disputes behind the scenes.—
Stephania Taladrid,
New Yorker,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cavil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cavil. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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