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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Trump has frequently complained that Obama’s deal included the transport of cash from the US to Iran.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
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Plus, who can complain when the gorgeous Block Island — which, unlike Rhode Island, is actually an island — is described as New England’s Caribbean?—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Opponents to the development argued that the circumstances are different and that the court's decision does not apply to the Greeley case.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
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One of the project’s most significant adversaries is the city of Sacramento — while the area is not under their governance, city officials argue the development would violate a decades-old habitat conservation agreement with the county.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
Noun
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The most reasonable objection to this view is that resilience returns are too diffuse to underwrite, that avoided losses do not show up in a project’s revenue line the way tolls or tariffs do.—
Ravi S. Bhalla,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
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In reality, his rise happened despite the objections of many party insiders, not because of them.—
Matthew Shelter,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
Verb
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And the backdrop of worldwide unrest and escalating nuclear threat is subtle to a fault, though that’s just nitpicking.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
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There’s been a lot to nitpick with Clemson lately, but this recent recruiting run provides some positivity for a program that could really use it.—
Antonio Morales,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Verb
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King bickered with fans on social media.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
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But Tilly and Gershon playfully bickered onstage as the former remembered things slightly differently, with Tilly saying the problem had more to do with a shot of her hand on Gershon's crotch that was deemed too realistic.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Noun
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On the Line is a weekly roundup of sourcing and labor quick hits in the apparel and footwear industry, from worker protests to boardroom maneuvering, tracking the developments shaping conditions on the factory floor and beyond.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
18 June 2026
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The authors tell it through the lives of six Iranians, including a revolutionary ideologue, a tech entrepreneur, and two women at the forefront of the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Yes, teaching by example is often a better way of handling a challenge than fussing about it.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
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No need to fuss-up something that's just as delicious prepared simply.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
5 June 2026
Verb
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In the 1970s, what was then West Germany co-produced the Tornado bomber with the UK and Italy; then in the 1990s Germany worked with the UK, Italy and Spain to produce the dog-fighting Eurofighter jet.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
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But somehow, the Valkyries went cold and the Storm kept fighting.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quibble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quibble. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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