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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in quibble
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
-
In another email to Instagram leaders in 2017, Systrom complained that Instagram got no new headcount despite a wide investment to grow the company’s video ambitions.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Preservationists are complaining that Tranquillity’s plan would harm the open views in that part of town.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
My only quibble is the costume team’s decision to accessorize Smoke in blue and Stack in flame red.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
-
The series about how small-time thief Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) became a Rebel hero in time for his ultimate sacrifice in 2016’s Rogue One was so well-received that one of the audience’s only quibbles actually pertained to the minimal number of alien characters.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Fans of the game have either enjoyed the series so far, nitpicked a number of differences between them, or both.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The Kremlin’s sincerity in seeking a ceasefire is increasingly suspect after weeks of negotiating, nitpicking, and reneging on U.S. proposals already approved by Ukraine.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The quarrel escalated into a fight, and Hernandez was stabbed multiple times in the abdomen, cops said.—
Elizabeth Keogh,
New York Daily News,
18 Mar. 2025
-
As the Venetians and the Ottoman Turks squabble over Cyprus in the background, the men before us quarrel over everything—a woman, a job, a handkerchief.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Williams never fussed about it, though and his relationships with many in the organization weren’t overly affected.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Apr. 2025
-
No crying or fussing or squirming.—
Danielle Pergament,
SELF,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
There's no doubt now that when history is being made on the course, golf fans take notice and tune in, making these events must-watch television.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Kuemper shows his regular-season form There isn’t any doubt that Winnipeg’s star goalie Connor Hellebuyck will take home his second consecutive Vezina Trophy and third of his career.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
In fact, regulars’ favorite thing to moan about, year after year, is the ever-mounting cost of Carnival fete tickets and costumes.—
Baz Dreisinger,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Ramirez said the detectives had found belongings near the storm drain entrance and heard what sounded like a woman moaning from inside the storm drain.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Book dispute is one of three religious rights cases The case is one of three religious rights cases the Supreme Court is deciding in the coming weeks, and appears likely to be part of a recent trend of the court siding with religious rights advocates.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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Billing disputes, debt collections and other leading indicators of bankruptcy are also on the rise.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cavil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cavil. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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