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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
So your first indication of problems can be a client who nitpicks every job, forcing you to return to re-trim the 2-inch patch of sod that the client claims wasn’t properly manicured.
—
Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Try not to nitpick yourself or others… peace beats perfection.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 4 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Try not to nitpick yourself or others… peace beats perfection.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 4 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpick
Verb
-
Afterward, a student in the audience complained to his parents that, at the event, the deaths of Palestinian civilians had been characterized as collateral damage—a regrettable but unavoidable consequence of the battle against Hamas.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The driver and passenger in the BMW complained of pain.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While facelift surgeons quibble over semantics and what truly distinguishes one method from another, ultimately, all modern facelifts adjust the SMAS (muscle layer) in some way.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
16 Mar. 2026
-
During a debate Tuesday, some lawmakers quibbled over whether the bill would infringe on the free market.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Mar. 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
-
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
-
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
-
One minute later, Pedro Neto was yellow-carded for moaning.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpick. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
