HAIRSPLITTING Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

hairsplitting

adjective

Definition of hairsplitting

as in subtle

made or done with extreme care and accuracy usage experts have attempted to make some hairsplitting distinctions between the two words, but most writers blithely ignore them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hairsplitting

Adjective

Rey’s directing style keeps the spirit of Mumblecore cinema while bringing it into the immediate present, injecting subtle political commentary into naturalistic scenes.

— Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
In other New York Fashion Week shows, like TWP and Proenza Schouler, fashion’s adjacent garden shoe trend took a more subtle approach.

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of subtle

Adjective

The gold complemented her ethereal lilac chiffon McQueen dress, featuring a sweetheart strapless neckline and flowing layers of delicate fabric.

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
The answers range from good communication and baseball IQ to the ability to navigate the delicate balance of personalities in the clubhouse.

— Andy McCullough, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of delicate

Adjective

Crafted from the finest, lightest tweed, the dress—chosen by stylist Ramona Tabita—features a sumptuous knotted structure that opens into a generous back neckline and culminates in a majestic train that skims the red carpet.

— Giacomo Aricò, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2026
She’s played with a darkly enigmatic, unnerving quality by James in her finest work to date — a knowing, even domineering smile often curling around her lips.

— Tomris Laffly, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of fine

Adjective

The shift of money does not eliminate foreign military financing for Tunisia, Iraq, North Macedonia or Slovakia, although the exact amount remaining for those countries was not immediately clear.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
The exact amount of the wide-ranging deal between ESPN and Peyton Manning and his Omaha Productions is not known, but it is believed to be in the same neighborhood as Brady and McAfee.

— Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of exact

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

hairsplitters

hairsplitting

hairstyle

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hairsplitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hairsplitting. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hairsplitting

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

watershed

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

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

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes