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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cavils

2 of 2

noun

plural of cavil

as in quibbles

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cavils

Verb

There’ll always be someone who doesn’t like it, who complains about it.

— Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
Erin then complains about her daughter and drones on about all sorts of things that no one can even pretend to care about.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of complains

Noun

Unlike Christian priests and medicine men, who generally command respect, rainmakers are sometimes seen as malicious people who retaliate against whole communities for quarrels with their neighbors.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
On the new series, some House of Stassi castmembers raised their quarrels with Maloney joining their cast.

— McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of quarrels

Noun

Since taking over as Fed chair in May after Trump nominated him in January, Warsh so far has not been on the receiving end of the president’s criticisms.

— Rachel Barber, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026
One of the biggest criticisms of the Chiefs offense last season was that the team didn’t do enough to help Mahomes.

— Jesse Newell, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of criticisms

Verb

Sam makes a production out of teasing them, mock-reaching for various items on the set as the whole group moans and wails in distress.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
Endo is the sixth choice midfielder and someone who never moans about his place in the pecking order.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of moans

Noun

The stadium tries to be a good neighbor, despite some objections.

— Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
The film internalizes potential objections about a foreign director making a film that claims insight into Japanese characters’ interiority, with Carter being ritualistically insulted as a gaijin, or outsider.

— Vadim Rizov, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of objections

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

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.

Browse Nearby Words

caviling

cavils

caving

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cavils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cavils. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of cavils

verb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compendious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes