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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cavils
Verb
-
Everyone complains about how expensive EVs are.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
12 Mar. 2026 -
At the same time, the Brighton captain, Pascal Gross, complains to referee Chris Kavanagh.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Avoid money quarrels with everyone.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
8 Feb. 2026
-
His quarrels with Massie and interest in relitigating the 2020 election seem to animate him more, too.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But DuBois has written a usefully ambivalent book, one that looks for a way to reconcile younger writers’ criticisms of Stanton with her own loyalty to the early women’s-rights activists.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Playing with Connor McDavid One of the lazier criticisms of Bouchard comes from his playing time with Connor McDavid.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Freight House building creaks and moans underfoot, and passing trains produce little more than a subtle hum.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Back in the car, Albert moans and groans while Billie shrieks in panic.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Under pressure from neighborhood residents who called the property an eyesore, the City Council ordered the building’s demolition in November, over the objections of attorneys for CVS and an unnamed property owner whose identity has been obscured behind property records.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
18 Mar. 2026
-
State officials have euthanized a bear who swiped a woman in Monrovia over the weekend despite objections from city officials who asked that the female bear and her two cubs be relocated to the Angeles National Forest.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
-
This is a day for speaking plainly and clearing up lingering misunderstandings.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
-
This involves a trip behind the Iron Curtain, where cultural misunderstandings can quickly turn deadly serious.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But even with the reduced wishlist, many bills died in House-Senate squabbles.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
-
But the amount of water flowing downstream has been dropping due to a long-term drought at the same time, causing squabbles among the states over who gets how much for farming, drinking and industrial uses.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cavils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cavils. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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