as in to complain
to make often peevish criticisms or objections about matters that are minor, unimportant, or irrelevant
her husband nitpicks about everything: from how she puts the plates away to how she files the bills
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Recent Examples of nitpick
Meanwhile, nitpicking from Stewart is always welcome.
—
Kansas City Star, 6 Dec. 2025
There are plenty of valid reasons to nitpick the Patriots, but none of that matters if Maye keeps playing like this.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
There are some who are not a fan of this upcoming quarterback class at all and have been nitpicking red flags with many of the top prospects at the position like Mendoza, Dante Moore and Ty Simpson.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
But that certainly didn’t stop the critics from nitpicking everything from her rocking sleeveless dresses to not wearing hosiery.
—Essence, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Kansas City Star, 6 Dec. 2025
There are plenty of valid reasons to nitpick the Patriots, but none of that matters if Maye keeps playing like this.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
There are some who are not a fan of this upcoming quarterback class at all and have been nitpicking red flags with many of the top prospects at the position like Mendoza, Dante Moore and Ty Simpson.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
But that certainly didn’t stop the critics from nitpicking everything from her rocking sleeveless dresses to not wearing hosiery.
—Essence, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpick
Verb
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The large Sunbridge development is planned nearby, but there are no current residents anywhere near it to complain.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
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But Kesselman said his sister had unbelievable courage and never complained.—
Natalie McMillan,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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During a debate Tuesday, some lawmakers quibbled over whether the bill would infringe on the free market.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
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Some trustees saw the enforcement approach as reasonable and quibbled with the details, while others wanted Wilmette to go much further in its restrictions.—
Shun Graves,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Naysayers often cavil that California’s economic growth depends almost entirely on Silicon Valley and the capital gains income of its wealthiest residents, but its primacy in high technology encompasses fields outside Northern California, such as biotech.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2021
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However, the actual interiors of this four-bedroom home are nothing to cavil at.—
Kelly Corbett,
House Beautiful,
7 Oct. 2020
Verb
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Asparagus fern is very tolerant of indoor living, doesn't fuss too much about watering schedules, and can make do with less-than-ideal lighting conditions.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
16 Feb. 2026
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Your son is fussing in his car seat.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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Back in the car, Albert moans and groans while Billie shrieks in panic.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpick. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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