1
as in lawyer
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2
as in quibbler
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Recent Examples of pettifogger
For nearly three years now, I’ve been fascinated by the performance art of this blustering pettifogger.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2023
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pettifogger
Noun
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Rosemond's lawyer, Scott Rubenstein, said his client's trip to Georgia had been preplanned and was not an attempt to avoid law enforcement.—
Cameron Knight,
The Enquirer,
15 Aug. 2025
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The judge in that case granted the lawyers' emergency request due to the timing of the matter.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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To demonstrate that point in a video, a researcher told a robot arm to put a bunch of plastic grapes into a clear Tupperware container, then proceeded to shift three containers around on the table in an approximation of a shyster’s shell game.—
Eliza Strickland,
IEEE Spectrum,
12 Mar. 2025
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Holmes is another shyster whose story has been dissected in several documentaries and in dramatizations like Hulu’s The Dropout, but Gibney brings specific insights and a fresh perspective to this truly unbelievable story.—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
31 July 2024
Noun
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One of the style’s most contentious points among purists is its pearlescent finish, which has shifted to varying shades over the shoe’s many reissues.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
9 July 2025
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In a repeat of the conflict over H-1B visas, Trump-supporting businesses that rely on immigrant labor are clashing with MAGA purists who see deportation as a key strategy to get higher-paying jobs for Americans.—
Irina Ivanova,
Fortune,
22 June 2025
Noun
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At the hearing on Aug. 6, attorney Andrew Joel Golden, who represents the victim in the Milwaukee case, said the woman objected to the trial postponement.—
Ashley Luthern,
jsonline.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Escrow Escrow is a neutral third party—often a title company or attorney—that holds funds and documents until all closing conditions are met.—
James Nelson,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pettifogger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pettifogger. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
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