as in quibbling
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Dissimilar Words
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nitpicking
Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Filmmaking is nitpicking, anxiety, fights, claustrophobia, exhaustion, euphoria.
—Susan Sontag, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025
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
Verb
Certainly no other fan base will feel sorry for Blackhawks fans, but man, what Blackhawks fans wouldn’t give to be nitpicking a coach’s decision about who plays right wing on the fourth line again rather than checking out who’ll be available at the top of the draft in June.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Filmmaking is nitpicking, anxiety, fights, claustrophobia, exhaustion, euphoria.
—Susan Sontag, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpicking
Adjective
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More support tickets, more quibbling, more negotiating.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But Frederica Wilson, a Democratic congresswoman from South Florida, vividly remembers her constituents complaining about one Facebook ad in particular.—
David Smiley,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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About 20% of fire department employees responded to the survey, with large majorities of those respondents complaining about discrimination, diversity and inclusion programs and a wide range of organizational issues.—
Aaron Valdez,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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There are more subtle links between the franchises as well, like the casting of Cameron Brown as the Drone Synth in the film.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Nov. 2025
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Lucky Step Platform Sneakers These brown suede platform sneakers give a subtle lift while staying super comfortable thanks to memory foam insoles and arch support.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 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
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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
Verb
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There’s something moaning in the background.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
10 Oct. 2025
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The deputies ultimately roll him over before putting on handcuffs as Mull can be heard moaning in pain.—
Nathaniel Percy,
Oc Register,
26 Sep. 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 21 Nov. 2025.
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