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
-
Never says a word, never complains about it, right?—
Anderson Cooper,
CBS News,
17 May 2026 -
Anushka complains about the agreement that asks users to accept 97 pages of terms and conditions in 7-point font, but these guys don’t even see themselves as car manufacturers.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
In a 2024 study, researchers found that chimpanzee mothers tended to step in to defend their children in quarrels—say, over food or space in a tree—in about half of cases the researchers observed in the wild.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Mears, who stepped into the prosecutor role in 2019, has long been the target of criticisms from Republicans who accused him of failing to seek tougher sentences for violent criminals.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
5 June 2026
-
There are valid criticisms surrounding the true crime genre, including accusations that the medium has become sensational and exploitative.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
As the video continues, one person can be heard yelling her name while the makeup artist moans in pain.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
21 May 2026
-
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
Noun
-
With no objections and the window for objections having ended, the USPTO is expected to register QuadGod to Malinin, and that registration should occur in a matter of weeks.—
Sara Germano,
Sportico.com,
3 June 2026
-
In the felony battery case, the court later granted Jimenez’s request to participate in the mental health diversion program despite the prosecutor’s objections, Gire said Monday.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 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
-
Submission quality varies wildly, and committees end up correcting basic misunderstandings instead of debating strategy.—
David Talby,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
Important details get lost, misunderstandings creep in, and decisions slow down.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
But kids are fickle creatures, and eventually got bored of those Eternian squabbles.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
1 June 2026
-
While passage of a budget is considered virtually inevitable despite internal squabbles, legislative action on a measure to keep the Bears from moving to Hammond, Indiana, is still being negotiated to satisfy a variety of interests.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
30 May 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Cavils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cavils. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
