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
But when analysts compare him to Peterson and Dybantsa — and are forced to nitpick — there are questions about Boozer’s ceiling as a pro player.
—
Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 18 Mar. 2026
As a dominant team, the Bruins have to nitpick at times to find areas of to improve.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Sure, scouts will nitpick his profile.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
While her intentions may stem from concern, her nitpicking mirrors this Earth sign’s shadow side.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 18 Mar. 2026
As a dominant team, the Bruins have to nitpick at times to find areas of to improve.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Sure, scouts will nitpick his profile.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
While her intentions may stem from concern, her nitpicking mirrors this Earth sign’s shadow side.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpick
Verb
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Landlords also complained some tenants took advantage of the moratorium to live rent free.—
Michael Casey,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
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Local Republicans including unsuccessful mayoral candidate Sharon Beloin-Saavedra urged angry parents to turn out at a council meeting to complain, and there have been extensive Facebook discussions condemning the city budget.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Verb
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Some handicappers quibble about his jockey (Luis Saez has never won the Kentucky Derby) or his margin of victory (a nose) at Gulfstream Park.—
Peter Keating,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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The location, gorgeous skyline view and broad strokes of the project offer plenty of intrigue — offer less to quibble with than, say, a Crossroads District plan that never moved past the to-be-determined stage of displacing local businesses.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
23 Apr. 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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Ever the dedicated mother, Stacy runs to her adult daughter’s aid, fussing at her for not using a driver for her errands.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
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The crime went unsolved for many years, prompting Mason to start making this movie in the early 2000s, and the immediate conclusion to jump to is that the LAPD maybe wasn’t too fussed about it.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Coach Arne Slot moaned about VAR but his problems lie much closer to home.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
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The score by Joseph Bishara is shivery with chorales that moan like wraiths in the wind.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpick. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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