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
Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026
That quibble aside, sports all but gobbled up the entire chart, as 95 of the items on the list were devoted to football, baseball, basketball, horseracing and boxing.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 Jan. 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
There’s not much to quibble with in the market’s to-and-fro oscillations among sectors and themes so far.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026
That quibble aside, sports all but gobbled up the entire chart, as 95 of the items on the list were devoted to football, baseball, basketball, horseracing and boxing.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 Jan. 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
-
Afterward, a student in the audience complained to his parents that, at the event, the deaths of Palestinian civilians had been characterized as collateral damage—a regrettable but unavoidable consequence of the battle against Hamas.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The driver and passenger in the BMW complained of pain.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Prosecutors argue that Duckett was a monster in disguise who abused the badge and brutally raped and killed Teresa before dumping her body in a lake.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The reversal comes after Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta and the UCLA Voting Rights Project launched legal challenges last week, arguing the sheriff has no authority over election materials.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Thanks to its modular and distinctly unmilitary design, the U-2 fit the bill and sidestepped the Air Force's objections when the command of the operation went to the CIA.—
David Szondy
March 29,
New Atlas,
29 Mar. 2026
-
As long as dogs are well cared for, there shouldn’t be any objection.—
Ed Sayres,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But when analysts compare him to Peterson and Dybantsa — and are forced to nitpick — there are questions about Boozer’s ceiling as a pro player.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
18 Mar. 2026
-
As a dominant team, the Bruins have to nitpick at times to find areas of to improve.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Jenna is frustrated at his lack of seriousness, and Daisy wishes her department would stop bickering for once.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Against the backdrop of an island honeymoon, the two men clash and bicker before gradually uncovering an unexpected bond in this emotional dramedy.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The crime went unsolved for many years, prompting Mason to start making this movie in the early 2000s, and the immediate conclusion to jump to is that the LAPD maybe wasn’t too fussed about it.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The underlying facts of the case are still to be ruled on, but the partial ruling on Friday was a big win for immigration advocates who had been fighting to shut down the controversial site.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
-
There have been dueling proposals ever since, with some fighting to keep the Bears in Chicago proper, others fighting to help the stadium get built in Arlington Heights, and recently Northwest Indiana jumping into the fray, proposing sites for a new Bears stadium in Gary and Hammond.—
Marissa Perlman,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The device landed near Lang, members of his group and a nearby Daily News reporter covering the protest, but didn’t explode.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Manolo’s Bakery, which became a hub of protests and activism during the operation, lost more than $50,000 from having to close shop.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quibble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quibble. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
