as in complaining
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in quibbling
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nitpicking
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2025
Just keep an eye on the run defense In a dominating win like Sunday’s, looking for any negatives is nitpicking, but the Cowboys’ run defense struggles are worth highlighting.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025
Venus in Virgo loves precision, but be careful not to slide into scarcity thinking or nitpicking your progress.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 14 Sep. 2025
That might seem like nitpicking, except this is a franchise that has had the luxury of starting-caliber linemen as reserves.
—Zach Berman, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Ultimately, though, Braun’s priority through all the number-nitpicking negotiations was to stay in Denver.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2025
Just keep an eye on the run defense In a dominating win like Sunday’s, looking for any negatives is nitpicking, but the Cowboys’ run defense struggles are worth highlighting.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025
Venus in Virgo loves precision, but be careful not to slide into scarcity thinking or nitpicking your progress.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 14 Sep. 2025
That might seem like nitpicking, except this is a franchise that has had the luxury of starting-caliber linemen as reserves.
—Zach Berman, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpicking
Verb
-
Dani has fallen asleep, though only after complaining vociferously about the light.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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Lyons said store owners had been complaining about the retail for some time.—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
More support tickets, more quibbling, more negotiating.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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With five blades sandwiched between two moisturizing bars, this razor speeds up the entire process (no fussing around with shaving cream), nourishing dry skin and making nicks a rare occurrence.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
This was the mid 1980s and tandem skydiving hadn’t been popularized yet, so his father, Roger, adjusted accordingly by stuffing carpet padding into the leg pads to stop him from fussing.—
Angelina Liu,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Featuring a subtle kick flare at the hem and chic pintuck detailing, they’re designed to hit right under the calf, or just at the ankle for petite people like myself.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
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Adding parsnips and turnips to the recipe gives the dish a subtle earthy flavor that perfectly complements the savory chicken.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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By making a subtle tweak out of possession, Slot looks to have addressed an issue that was niggling away at his side despite last season’s title victory.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Should the pattern hold true throughout the long march to the Super Bowl, nobody’s going to be carping about the official headcount.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nitpicking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpicking. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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