nitty-gritty

noun

nit·​ty-grit·​ty ˌni-tē-ˈgri-tē How to pronounce nitty-gritty (audio)
ˈni-tē-ˌgri-
Synonyms of nitty-gritty
: what is essential and basic : specific practical details
get down to the nitty-gritty of the problem
nitty-gritty adjective

Synonyms of nitty-gritty

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Examples of nitty-gritty in a Sentence

the governor tends to leave the nitty-gritty of running the state government to others a look at the nitty-gritty aspects of putting out a newspaper
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But the film never fully dips into the aesthetic nitty-gritty of the spring show. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026 And the disputes about these nitty-gritty details are philosophical as much as pragmatic. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026 The woman who made a career singing about dating her high school teachers, about burning rubber and kissing ass, about being a nitty-gritty dirty little freak. — Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Sep. 2018 Crawford said Hodinkee readers are looking for long-form content on brand history or nitty-gritty technical facets of the industry. — James Manso, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nitty-gritty

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nitty-gritty was in 1934

Rhymes for nitty-gritty

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Browse Nearby Words

nitty
nitty-gritty
nitweed
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Cite this Entry

“Nitty-gritty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nitty-gritty. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

nitty-gritty

noun
nit·​ty-grit·​ty
ˈnit-ē-ˌgrit-ē, 
ˌnit-ē-ˈgrit-ē
: what is essential and basic
the nitty-gritty of the problem
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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