quibble 1 of 2

verb

ˈkwi-bəl How to pronounce quibble (audio)
Definition of quibblenext
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

quibble

2 of 2

noun

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
Verb
The story that’s being quibbled about concerns a teen suicide. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026 While facelift surgeons quibble over semantics and what truly distinguishes one method from another, ultimately, all modern facelifts adjust the SMAS (muscle layer) in some way. — Jolene Edgar, Allure, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
Something’s lost in the translation, but with dazzling costumes, hyper-energetic singing and dancing and joyful spirit filling the Nederlander, quibbles end up banished beyond the flats. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 20 Apr. 2026 One small quibble — in Greece, a classic salad does not contain lettuce. — Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for quibble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quibble
  1. complain
  2. argue
  3. objection
  4. nitpick
  5. bicker
  6. protest
  7. fuss
  8. fight
Verb
  • Meanwhile top women’s seed Aryna Sabalenka complained when the smell of marijuana wafted from crowd to court.
    — Greg Cote September 6, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Influencers, along with other fans, have interrupted matches and top player Aryna Sabalenka complained about the smell of marijuana during a match.
    — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of complain
Verb
  • One controversial second of game clock later, Michigan fans were swarming the field to celebrate a Hail Mary that many impartial observers argued shouldn’t have happened.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Gates argued that government and civil society need to move much more quickly.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of argue
Noun
  • Bessent's remarks came as Siluanov's first in-person appearance at the summit since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 drew objections from other European leaders.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The employee handles the objection, pricing question, scheduling conflict or judgment call.
    — Michael Fox, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of objection
Verb
  • But on a night where there was little to nitpick, the Trojans weren’t exactly efficient on the ground.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • This can lead to nitpicking as opposed to harnessing important details that can lead to practical solutions.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of nitpick
Verb
  • Kimmel and Damon then bicker over who has a rightful paternal claim to the child, culminating in a pitch-perfect spoof of Maury featuring Short as Povich.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026
  • There’s striker Josie Gordon, bickering twin sisters Siobhan and Niamh, glove-shunning goalie Katie ‘Boots’ Quinn and couple Maddie and Margy.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of bicker
Noun
  • After weeks of public protest, Barneys removed the work and apologized in a full-page ad in the Times.
    — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
  • But his popularity plummeted amid tax hikes that prompted street protests.
    — Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of protest
Verb
  • If the offensive line’s healthy again, RB Saquon Barkley will ramble again, broadening QB Jalen Hurts’ margin for error and being fussed at by the coaching staff.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The eagles fuss obsessively with their habitat, waddling around on their huge, scaly reptilian feet, moving sticks to and fro with their bony beaks.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of fuss
Verb
  • Their arrival is also welcome for many locals, battered by the economic impact of the Iran war their American visitors were fighting.
    — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
  • When ships are fighting in narrow waterways under heavy surveillance, visibility quickly becomes a deadly liability.
    — HOLMES LIAO, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of fight

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queuing
quibble
quibbled
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Cite this Entry

“Quibble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quibble. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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