Definition of nitpicknext
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of nitpick While there are always things to nitpick in the style of play and execution, Wells is laser-focused on the way his players carry themselves as the Rapids enter a 60-day break between games for the World Cup. Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 24 May 2026 Though who had time to nitpick, when there were floor-to-ceiling windows and a wide balcony that faced the sea? Ada Calhoun, Travel + Leisure, 7 May 2026 That meant making some hard choices and nitpicking reasons for why one place shouldn't be included. Will Richmond, The Providence Journal, 11 Apr. 2026 The song put the pair under even more scrutiny, as the media nitpicked every interaction as evidence of a rift that eventually did become one due to industry politics. Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpick
Verb
  • In short order, users started complaining about multiple system reboots rather than the one expected with a security update.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Researchers found nearly everyone admits to at least one bad beach habit, even as many complain about other people’s behavior.
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2026
Verb
  • If the difference between these positions seems far too minor to quibble over, that is, in part, the point.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
  • The debtor might quibble over the language of the charging order, but that's about it.
    Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • However, the actual interiors of this four-bedroom home are nothing to cavil at.
    Kelly Corbett, House Beautiful, 7 Oct. 2020
Verb
  • Yes, teaching by example is often a better way of handling a challenge than fussing about it.
    Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
  • No need to fuss-up something that's just as delicious prepared simply.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
Verb
  • Swinging his hips, moaning into the mic and briefly getting promiscuous with a mic stand was the authenticity that the majority-millennial crowd expected.
    Sophie Lindberg July 11, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2026
  • Federal officers stand over a man with a bloody shirt who is handcuffed face down, moaning in pain as his left foot shakes.
    Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpick. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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