1
as in to complain
to make often peevish criticisms or objections about matters that are minor, unimportant, or irrelevant
he spent the entire evening quibbling about the historical inaccuracies in the television series on World War II
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to argue
to express different opinions about something often angrily
don't quibble over who gets to sit in front
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in objection
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of quibble
Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
The new camera setup alongside a bigger screen answers two of the most prominent quibbles Samsung users have voiced about its foldable phones.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Sarah Keohane Williamson, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
These seemingly arbitrary small items are essentially sweeteners to win over lawmakers who might quibble with the broader thrust of the legislation.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for quibble
Verb
No quibbles here though with seeing Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin, one of the great highlights of the Broadway season and a performance America deserves to witness on Sunday night, especially since Groff may win his second Tony in a row.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
The new camera setup alongside a bigger screen answers two of the most prominent quibbles Samsung users have voiced about its foldable phones.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Noun
While financial and tax experts may quibble with some of the provisions relative to other types of savings, the bill offers several clear benefits.
—Sarah Keohane Williamson, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
These seemingly arbitrary small items are essentially sweeteners to win over lawmakers who might quibble with the broader thrust of the legislation.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for quibble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quibble
Verb
-
On a StudBudz stream, Courtney Williams complained about having to share space at the team’s practice area, particularly when players and other attendees of the recreation center need to shower.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Roman complains about pain in his feet, and Dennis offers him a foot massage.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The plaintiffs argued the displacement was motivated by a desire to limit readers' access to books with viewpoints that are unpopular and controversial in the area.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
But there are Republicans who argue that the changes to Medicaid strengthen the program for the most vulnerable.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Over objections from the ordinance's co-sponsors, however, the committee passed an amendment — floated by Councilman Khalil Batshon — that would retain a licensing requirement for accessory overnight shelters run by religious institutions.—
Killian Baarlaer,
The Courier-Journal,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Republicans departed Washington promising to make changes to the Senate rules governing how nominees are confirmed despite objections from Democrats.—
Lauren Peller,
ABC News,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
If there are things to nitpick, their film rejects the idea of the nitpicking.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Not long ago, these militias’ tendency to bicker was mitigated by the deft orchestration of Soleimani.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
-
During the squabble, Darcey and Georgi bickered about the communication issues impacting their relationship, leaving Georgi’s parents Ginka and Ivan concerned about how healthy their son’s relationship was.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Inside, Seán glanced briefly away from the television as the women fussed at Orla’s return.—
Anne Enright,
New Yorker,
27 July 2025
Verb
-
Among other resources, two engines have also been deployed to fight the wildfire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Her grandfather served in World War II and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Ahead of Saturday’s demonstration, counter-terrorism officers in England and Scotland raided the homes of seven spokespeople from the activist group Defend Our Juries – which has been instrumental in organizing the protests – arresting and charging them all with terrorism offenses.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
-
There have also been large protests in Israel demanding a ceasefire that frees hostages held by Hamas.—
Aya Batrawy,
NPR,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quibble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quibble. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share