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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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 And the backdrop of worldwide unrest and escalating nuclear threat is subtle to a fault, though that’s just nitpicking. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2026 Diehards nitpicked pointless details like Bond's hair color as an excuse to dismiss the whole experiment. Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpick
Verb
  • Meanwhile top women’s seed Aryna Sabalenka complained when the smell of marijuana wafted from crowd to court.
    Greg Cote September 6, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Influencers, along with other fans, have interrupted matches and top player Aryna Sabalenka complained about the smell of marijuana during a match.
    Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 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
  • However, the actual interiors of this four-bedroom home are nothing to cavil at.
    Kelly Corbett, House Beautiful, 7 Oct. 2020
Verb
  • Perhaps only a pedant—or a hypocrite—would fuss about that kind of imprecision.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
  • If the offensive line’s healthy again, RB Saquon Barkley will ramble again, broadening QB Jalen Hurts’ margin for error and being fussed at by the coaching staff.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Sam makes a production out of teasing them, mock-reaching for various items on the set as the whole group moans and wails in distress.
    Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Endo is the sixth choice midfielder and someone who never moans about his place in the pecking order.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpick. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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