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
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
Notorious for nitpicking every small mistake after big victories, the Texas women’s head basketball coach was downright dismissive of any flaws in his team’s Sweet 16 win over Kentucky.
—Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Will Richmond, The Providence Journal, 11 Apr. 2026
Notorious for nitpicking every small mistake after big victories, the Texas women’s head basketball coach was downright dismissive of any flaws in his team’s Sweet 16 win over Kentucky.
—Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpick
Verb
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At one practice during the fall of 2024, Washington’s assistant athletic director of football academics Diamond Brown was standing on the sideline when Jonah bounded up to her in full pads and begun complaining about his grade in a music class.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
21 June 2026
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How to complain with flair at a restaurant when things go awry?—
The Editors,
Robb Report,
20 June 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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Yes, teaching by example is often a better way of handling a challenge than fussing about it.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
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No need to fuss-up something that's just as delicious prepared simply.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
5 June 2026
Verb
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Musselwhite punctuated the music with his harmonica trills and moans while his right knee bounced in time with the rhythms.—
Kevin McKeough,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2026
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And yes, that sound will dissipate and soon will be too faint for my human ears as it is absorbed into space, but Renee Gladman writes that spaces moan.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpick. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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