as in critic
a person given to harsh judgments and to finding faults
a tiresome nitpicker who seems to think that I can't do anything right
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Recent Examples of nitpicker
Alas, nitpickers can point to some moves in which Atlanta went backward.
—
John Hollinger, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Maybe that’s why, compared with some other kinds of nitpickers, pop critics can seem especially extraneous.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
John Hollinger, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Maybe that’s why, compared with some other kinds of nitpickers, pop critics can seem especially extraneous.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpicker
Noun
-
Even a shallow dive into the metrics makes Makar critics look all wet.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
As the country heads toward a national election, the leader once celebrated as a healer is now viewed by critics as the main driver of these schisms.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
Noun
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In turn, the criticizer is made out to be overreacting.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nitpicker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpicker. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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