as in to complain
to make often peevish criticisms or objections about matters that are minor, unimportant, or irrelevant
her husband nitpicks about everything: from how she puts the plates away to how she files the bills
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nitpick
Though who had time to nitpick, when there were floor-to-ceiling windows and a wide balcony that faced the sea?
—
Ada Calhoun,
Travel + Leisure,
7 May 2026
That meant making some hard choices and nitpicking reasons for why one place shouldn't be included.
—
Will Richmond,
The Providence Journal,
11 Apr. 2026
Notorious for nitpicking every small mistake after big victories, the Texas women’s head basketball coach was downright dismissive of any flaws in his team’s Sweet 16 win over Kentucky.
—
Kirk Bohls,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Ada Calhoun,
Travel + Leisure,
7 May 2026
That meant making some hard choices and nitpicking reasons for why one place shouldn't be included.
—
Will Richmond,
The Providence Journal,
11 Apr. 2026
Notorious for nitpicking every small mistake after big victories, the Texas women’s head basketball coach was downright dismissive of any flaws in his team’s Sweet 16 win over Kentucky.
—
Kirk Bohls,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpick
Verb
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Even Hakimi didn't complain, instead giving van de Ven a dap of respect.
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The document complains about trade, customs officers, juryless courts, and judges’ salaries.
Verb
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Some handicappers quibble about his jockey (Luis Saez has never won the Kentucky Derby) or his margin of victory (a nose) at Gulfstream Park.
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The location, gorgeous skyline view and broad strokes of the project offer plenty of intrigue — offer less to quibble with than, say, a Crossroads District plan that never moved past the to-be-determined stage of displacing local businesses.
Verb
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Naysayers often cavil that California’s economic growth depends almost entirely on Silicon Valley and the capital gains income of its wealthiest residents, but its primacy in high technology encompasses fields outside Northern California, such as biotech.
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However, the actual interiors of this four-bedroom home are nothing to cavil at.
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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No need to fuss-up something that's just as delicious prepared simply.
Verb
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The call lasted for 12 excruciating minutes, as Adams moaned in pain.
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Witnesses who observed those executions later shared unnerving, and, at times, horrific, accounts of inmates thrashing, moaning, or otherwise appearing to show signs of suffering after the nitrogen gas began to flow.
Cite this Entry
“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpick. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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