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
-
When paired to a non-Huawei phone, audio quality still sounds good, but has a subtle loss of depth.—
Ben Sin,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025 -
Counsell’s subtle influences can be seen in the standings.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
The name angel pie gives a few of this dessert's secrets away: The crust is a super delicate meringue that's crisp on the outside but marshmallowy on the inside.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
8 June 2025
-
While Ramsey was learning the delicate art of building firebreaks, a large fire broke out just outside the town.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
Under his watchful eye, the new site will spotlight the finest talents in the region.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
9 June 2025
-
On Sunday evening, Broadway’s finest, including George Clooney, Mia Farrow, Lea Michele and Tonys host Cynthia Erivo, gathered outside of Radio City Music Hall under a covered red carpet, avoiding the dreary New York City weather.—
Emily Burns,
Footwear News,
9 June 2025
Adjective
-
The exact fixtures incorporated into this will be confirmed later this summer, after the 2025/26 WSL fixtures have been released.—
Asif Burhan,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
An exact premiere date has not yet been set, but CIA will air Mondays at 10 pm, leading out of the FBI mothership.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
9 June 2025
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
“Hairsplitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hairsplitting. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share