as in nitpicking
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as in ambiguity
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in complaining
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bickering
to express different opinions about something often angrily
don't quibble over who gets to sit in front
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quibbling
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Kevin Frazier,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2026
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
When the murder of 100,000 people, many of them women and children, is mentioned or denounced, or when someone dares to use terms such as genocide, ethnocide, ethnic cleansing or similar, most people choose to take issue with the characterization, quibbling over semantics.
—
Uriel Kon
september 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
More support tickets, more quibbling, more negotiating.
—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
This may seem like semantic quibbling, but the stakes of imprecise legislation in this domain are quite high.
—
Kevin Frazier,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
Joy Randolph and John Early, as the two Afterlife Coordinators, have a quibbling charisma, but the movie should have done more with all its possible versions of paradise, figuring out how to use them comedically instead of just as easy punchlines.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
When the murder of 100,000 people, many of them women and children, is mentioned or denounced, or when someone dares to use terms such as genocide, ethnocide, ethnic cleansing or similar, most people choose to take issue with the characterization, quibbling over semantics.
—
Uriel Kon
september 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quibbling
Adjective
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Available in a style with the same stripes that Paltrow favors, the top offers a subtle pattern that’ll make your outfit pop.
-
The square neckline adds a flattering, feminine touch, while the subtle volume in the sleeves gives it a slightly dressier feel than your average tee.
Noun
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To remove the ambiguity and resulting food waste, Assembly Bill 660 was signed into law and goes into effect July 1, which ultimately will reduce the phrases allowed on packages to just two.
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Implications for Michigan's anti-terrorism law The Hopkinson case highlighted ambiguity in Michigan's anti-terrorism law.
Verb
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But John Healey stepped down as defense secretary this month after complaining that Starmer was not moving fast enough to meet the target.
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Still, some users are complaining online.
Verb
-
Several weeks back, Clark and White were caught bickering during a timeout huddle against the expansion Portland Fire.
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The plot centers on bickering couple Joe and Angela, who invite their noisy upstairs neighbors, Hawk and Piña, for dinner.
Adjective
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Her nuanced portrayal gives the girl many layers, including a delightful determination.
-
ReLoad showed a more nuanced side to the band’s reinvention.
Noun
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As Raul grapples with telling the story of Elsa’s life, he’s confronted by the murkiness of borrowing from real people for the purposes of fiction.
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After Daniel Jones tore his ACL late last season, the quarterback position has some murkiness for the Colts entering 2026.
Verb
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Yes, teaching by example is often a better way of handling a challenge than fussing about it.
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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.
Verb
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Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, officials are pausing data center development for one year, with vocal neighbors arguing that the risk posed by a controversial project outweigh the threat of litigation.
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President Donald Trump‘s first-term Attorney General Bill Barr is making an aggressive public push for Senate Republicans to confirm Todd Blanche as the nation’s next attorney general, arguing the president’s acting Justice Department chief is the best person to lead the department.
Cite this Entry
“Quibbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quibbling. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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