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
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
Sure, scouts will nitpick his profile.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
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
Sure, scouts will nitpick his profile.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpick
Verb
-
Meanwhile, a parent of an underage Vibe customer also complained to authorities that his 17-year-old son and his son's friend were able to purchase kratom products with a fake ID and, at times, without an ID at all.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
Residents near the Plaskolite site have long complained about odors from the plant, according to an air monitoring study sponsored by the state.—
Jason Henry,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Need to put a filling dinner on the table, but don't have a lot of time to fuss?—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
22 May 2026
-
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
Verb
-
The room received the work with laughter, snaps, and occasional utterances of that satisfied poetry moan.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
The process left Carruthers bleeding and moaning on May 21, according to the witness, Maria DeLiberato, senior counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union's Capital Punishment Project.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpick. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
