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
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Recent Examples of quibble
Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
Some trustees saw the enforcement approach as reasonable and quibbled with the details, while others wanted Wilmette to go much further in its restrictions.
—Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Todd Martens, Boston Herald, 30 Nov. 2025
Culinary connectedness The latest durian quibble reflects a broader debate over national foods across Nusantara—which refers to the Malay Archipelago, extending across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Timor-Leste, and the Philippines.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quibble
Verb
During a debate Tuesday, some lawmakers quibbled over whether the bill would infringe on the free market.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
Some trustees saw the enforcement approach as reasonable and quibbled with the details, while others wanted Wilmette to go much further in its restrictions.
—Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Noun
The only quibble is the show primarily runs on weekends only.
—Todd Martens, Boston Herald, 30 Nov. 2025
Culinary connectedness The latest durian quibble reflects a broader debate over national foods across Nusantara—which refers to the Malay Archipelago, extending across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Timor-Leste, and the Philippines.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quibble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quibble
Verb
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Ultimately, people are probably going to complain irrespective of what decisions are made about the graduation ceremony.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
-
In 2011, former members complained to the archdiocese in Peru’s capital, Lima, about abuses by its founder, Luis Figari.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Vincent Bugliosi argued—first in court, then in Helter Skelter—that Manson had meant for the murders to incite Helter Skelter.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
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Political observers argue that Hilton’s conservative media profile and Bianco’s law enforcement background resonate with rural and suburban voters on issues like crime and immigration, suggesting their campaigns address genuine policy concerns beyond election denialism.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
Noun
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And as the district court pointed out, changing the venue to remedy the government's improper conduct — over Jacobs's objection — may not serve the interests of justice.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
23 May 2026
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The deepest objection to all of this is older than Silicon Valley.—
Ray Ravaglia,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Now, Cleveland desperately needs some guys with track records — Steven Kwan, Kyle Manzardo and, if nitpicking, José Ramírez — to show signs of life, and the club could flaunt its most formidable offense in years.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
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Though who had time to nitpick, when there were floor-to-ceiling windows and a wide balcony that faced the sea?—
Ada Calhoun,
Travel + Leisure,
7 May 2026
Verb
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While the concrete cured, the starting eight matches of the first-ever World Cup were relocated to Pocitos and Gran Parque Central, the home grounds of capital rivals Peñarol and Nacional, who'd been bickering since their first meeting in July 1900.—
Paul Jebara,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 May 2026
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SpaceX and the Pentagon have been bickering about the price of using Starshield satellite service during the Iran war, according to a Reuters report published today.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Need to put a filling dinner on the table, but don't have a lot of time to fuss?—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
22 May 2026
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Ever the dedicated mother, Stacy runs to her adult daughter’s aid, fussing at her for not using a driver for her errands.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While Hulst tried to fight his way through traffic, Serna was in unfamiliar territory.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
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Aspiring journalist Lily’s camera was recording when the OPEF Marines invaded and began killing both Marsies and the Peacekeepers force that was actually aligned with the Marines and fighting against the Marsies.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Iran claimed the shutdown was a wartime necessity Iranian authorities first shut down the internet in January during mass anti-government protests that were eventually stamped out in a violent crackdown.—
Amir-Hussein Radjy,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
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The law signed by Hochul would apply statewide and would apply to any house of worship, including mosques, which have also been targeted by protests over the years.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quibble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quibble. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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