CAVILS Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

cavils 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of cavil

as in complains

to make often peevish criticisms or objections about matters that are minor, unimportant, or irrelevant caviled for hours about a single sentence

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cavils

2 of 2

noun

plural of cavil

as in quibbles

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cavils

Verb

Adrian complains that McElwee, instead of making documentaries, should have followed the lucrative path of a Hollywood director, and even reproaches him for having turned down an offer to make a TV commercial.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 July 2026
If he had been forced to stick with readily available materials, Rashid complains, the deck behind the house would have been green or brown.

— Dean Kaufman, Curbed, 30 June 2026

Definition of complains

Noun

Candi is the family mediator Like any father-daughter coaching dynamic, Corey and Coco have had their fair share of quarrels on the tennis court.

— Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026
Rounding out the top five names were seven write-in votes for the Sacramento Capitals or Capitols — which could be nicknamed the Caps to avoid quarrels over the spelling — and six votes for the Sacramento Stingers or Sting, referencing the collegiate Sacramento State Hornets.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026

Definition of quarrels

Noun

Some notable criticisms include their ability to efficiently convert heat back to electricity and their relatively low energy density compared to traditional batteries.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 25 July 2026
Trump then repeated one of his go-to criticisms of the White House correspondent, while Collins listened from a table near the stage alongside her CNN colleagues.

— Kyler Alvord, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026

Definition of criticisms

Verb

So your first indication of problems can be a client who nitpicks every job, forcing you to return to re-trim the 2-inch patch of sod that the client claims wasn’t properly manicured.

— Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
But Brian constantly nitpicks her purchases.

— Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2025

Definition of nitpicks

Noun

However, Pirlo’s candidacy came under scrutiny because of his role as a global ambassador for Russian bookmaker Fonbet, prompting objections from Italian Football Federation (FIGC) officials and from Italian lawmakers.

— Reuters, NBC news, 27 July 2026
Walk into the conversation not only with your points down cold, but also with their constraints and objections mapped out.

— Cynthia Pong, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

Definition of objections

Noun

Getting ahead of those conversations helps prevent misunderstandings once households merge and rent is due.

— Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 29 July 2026
According to The Gottman Institute, talking through these expectations in advance helps couples build a stronger foundation and sidestep the misunderstandings that tend to surface a few weeks after moving in.

— Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of misunderstandings

Noun

Devil facial tumor disease appeared in 1996 in Tasmania’s northeast, grotesque growths on the face and mouth that the animals spread by biting one another in their squabbles over food and mates.

— John Drake, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Parents who are expecting a new baby or dealing with sibling squabbles can all benefit from the reminder that love is not a finite resource—everyone in the family is loved immensely and equally.

— Kara Nesvig, Parents, 27 July 2026

Definition of squabbles

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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caviling

cavils

caving

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“Cavils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cavils. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of cavils

verb

noun

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