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
  • Journalists have complained that the lucrative and high-profile show is not subject to The Atlantic’s editorial rules, input, or oversight — yet a casual listener could easily take it for an Atlantic editorial product.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Kelker-Kelly reportedly had complained of chest pain shortly before becoming unresponsive, and the circumstances appeared consistent with a medical event, police said.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of complain
Verb
  • Marc Elias has argued dozens of cases around mail-in balloting and election access across the country and in front of the Supreme Court over the last decade.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • His complaint argues that the plural title invites audiences to suspect a second culprit besides Mun.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of argue
Noun
  • Miltenberg’s objection centers on comments James made before her office was appointed to lead the criminal investigation.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • As for the constant chatter about the unwelcome safety tech, Roma said the objections may be exaggerated.
    — Morgan Korn, ABC News, 4 Oct. 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
  • The two of them together, just 17 months apart, shared playlists, bickered over where to stop during Apple CarPlay calls, pulled up beside me and faded away with silly faces, encapsulating 20 years of my life in my rearview mirror.
    — Robert Duffer, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Like law enforcement agents everywhere, they’re disposed to bickering about jurisdiction or pumping each other for off-limits information.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of bicker
Noun
  • Earlier this week, IRNA reported that Iran had executed two other men over violence during the January protests.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Organizers see Saturday’s protest as part of an ongoing effort and hope more people will feel empowered to participate.
    — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of protest
Verb
  • Perhaps only a pedant—or a hypocrite—would fuss about that kind of imprecision.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of fuss
Verb
  • Her body was found while clearing rubble and fighting a fire at the site, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration, said Friday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Eventually, Ley hopes, the results could help fight this side effect of vaccines and, by extension, encourage higher vaccination rates.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of fight

Browse Nearby Words

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 11 Oct. 2026.

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