as in slight
old-fashioned
worrying too much about details that are minor or not important
pettifogging lawyers
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pettifogging
Adjective
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Boise State basketball’s conference schedule was announced on Tuesday morning, and there’s a slight difference to this year’s Mountain West slate.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Sep. 2025 -
While strong finances and health helped bolster the country's overall 70% score, that was offset by factors including income inequality, a slight increase in unemployment and a decline in happiness.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Over the next 1,358 days, there would be just a handful of credible sightings of Phillips, mostly connected with petty crimes in nearby small towns.—
Todd Symons,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
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Nothing is too petty, too silly, too stupid, or too weird to be included.—
Aytekin Tank,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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When the tiny home arrives, a semi-permanent setup is as easy as leveling the surface, hooking up utilities, and anchoring the home, if desired, which can be accomplished with the help of the builder’s team.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
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Every day is a new chance to accurately fix the coördinates of my appearance in clothes, to make tiny adjustments, as if focussing a lens.—
Rachel Kushner,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The hour markers and minute track float above the retrograde chronograph, creating a real statement on the wrist.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
6 Sep. 2025
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That also required relentlessly training his employees—a 1988 manual instructed them in minute detail on how to wash pots and talk to customers—many of whom stayed on to work for him for decades.—
Giacomo Tognini,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Talk of mounting nuclear readiness towards Russia, which has more atomic weapons than any other country in the world, could overshadow more trifling domestic matters, like the Epstein scandal, for instance.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
2 Aug. 2025
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Pixar has long stood out by bringing something less trifling to theatergoing families.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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In Belly’s case, making the Paris decision—let alone the decision of which brother to be with—involves critical-thinking skills and a sense of self, neither of which is a trivial quality.—
Greta Rainbow,
The Atlantic,
10 Sep. 2025
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More nuanced public health messaging could follow, helping to avoid unnecessary fear over trivial exposures.—
Anna Broughel,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Olympic silver medalist ran textbook races all season with little to no critiques on form and competitive nature.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Most available positions are informal, poorly compensated and offer little stability or room for career growth.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Then, the pandemic reduced the schedule to 60 games and Eddie got a piddling 37%.—
Star Tribune,
Star Tribune,
3 Dec. 2020
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Millions of additional claims are expected to stream in from around the country over the coming weeks, while hiring remains piddling.—
Patricia Cohen,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2020
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“Pettifogging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pettifogging. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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