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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As long as the overall drink remains sufficiently boozy, cocktails that contain citrus—such as margaritas, daiquiris, and cosmopolitans—can also work well or just require a few slight tweaks.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026 -
The camera caught Maher staring at the stage with a slight smile, seemingly unsure how to react.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Wembanyama mired his fundamental greatness by either trying too hard to dominate or exerting his physicality in a petty way.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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His girlfriend was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence and petty criminal mischief.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The tiny female hippo is already drawing comparisons to the beloved Moo Deng, the Thai baby pygmy hippo who became a global sensation in 2024.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
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Hopefully, this will help determine whether they’re sparked by an eruption from a single neutron star, or when two of these tiny but massive bodies collide.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
In a sea of important tourbillons at Watches and Wonders this year, minute repeaters and striking watches made a musical statement of their own.—
Carol Besler,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
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According to the National Park Service, about 80 percent of visitors to Yosemite never venture beyond Yosemite Valley, which makes up a minute percentage of this 1,190-square-mile park.—
Matt Bell,
AFAR Media,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
In less trifling hands, there’s no telling what these tools could do, are doing now.—
CHRIS COLIN,
Wired News,
18 May 2026
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Meanwhile, that global temperature record that DiCaprio mentioned in his acceptance speech in 2016 seems almost trifling compared to what has happened since.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That should represent a non-trivial upgrade from Verizon’s cheapest current unlimited-data subscription, the Unlimited Welcome option introduced in August 2023.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
16 June 2026
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Yet a quiet bohemia remains alive in his work—an insistence that much can exist within a passing, seemingly trivial moment.—
Kelsey Ables,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Sandia Mountain, the aerial tramway to the peak, the fancy resort and casino, but don’t sleep on little Pueblo of Isleta south of town.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
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For all of its massive successes, and for all of the fame, money, and love generated by this Broadway juggernaut, 125 years later the biggest lasting impact of Florodora is this spicy and fruity little cocktail, created for one particular girl in a particularly imperious mood.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
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 20 Jun. 2026.
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