as in quibbling
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as in complaining
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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Recent Examples of nitpicking
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The key is not nitpicking yourself into paralysis… done is better than perfect.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 4 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, nitpicking from Stewart is always welcome.
—Kansas City Star, 6 Dec. 2025
There are some who are not a fan of this upcoming quarterback class at all and have been nitpicking red flags with many of the top prospects at the position like Mendoza, Dante Moore and Ty Simpson.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
But that certainly didn’t stop the critics from nitpicking everything from her rocking sleeveless dresses to not wearing hosiery.
—Essence, 7 Nov. 2025
Certainly no other fan base will feel sorry for Blackhawks fans, but man, what Blackhawks fans wouldn’t give to be nitpicking a coach’s decision about who plays right wing on the fourth line again rather than checking out who’ll be available at the top of the draft in June.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Filmmaking is nitpicking, anxiety, fights, claustrophobia, exhaustion, euphoria.
—Susan Sontag, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, though, Braun’s priority through all the number-nitpicking negotiations was to stay in Denver.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
While her intentions may stem from concern, her nitpicking mirrors this Earth sign’s shadow side.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The key is not nitpicking yourself into paralysis… done is better than perfect.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 4 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, nitpicking from Stewart is always welcome.
—Kansas City Star, 6 Dec. 2025
There are some who are not a fan of this upcoming quarterback class at all and have been nitpicking red flags with many of the top prospects at the position like Mendoza, Dante Moore and Ty Simpson.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
But that certainly didn’t stop the critics from nitpicking everything from her rocking sleeveless dresses to not wearing hosiery.
—Essence, 7 Nov. 2025
Certainly no other fan base will feel sorry for Blackhawks fans, but man, what Blackhawks fans wouldn’t give to be nitpicking a coach’s decision about who plays right wing on the fourth line again rather than checking out who’ll be available at the top of the draft in June.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Filmmaking is nitpicking, anxiety, fights, claustrophobia, exhaustion, euphoria.
—Susan Sontag, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, though, Braun’s priority through all the number-nitpicking negotiations was to stay in Denver.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpicking
Adjective
-
More support tickets, more quibbling, more negotiating.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Their relationship continued into the next year, 2018, when Lutnick emailed Epstein apparently complaining about an expansion plan for their neighboring Frick Collection art museum.—
Daniel Ruetenik,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
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The action comes as the legal gambling industry has been complaining that the state’s new per-wager tax on sports betting is driving gamblers to unlicensed websites.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The moments that could be regarded as direct criticism were rare and subtle.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The skirt is made with an intentionally creased texture and features a straight cut with a subtle flare at the hem.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Emma looked around, confused at the adults fussing around him and too young, perhaps, to grasp the severity of the scene.—
Maeva Bambuck,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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As the migrants boarded, a man hoisted one of the passengers in the air, a fussing 8-month-old baby whose face was flushed red from the heat.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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While Slot was moaning about having to play two away matches in four days (and about missing a couple of key players), Emery, also without important figures such as Boubacar Kamara, was overseeing his Villa side playing the same tough schedule and win both games without conceding a goal.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
While lying on the pavement, he could be heard moaning as an officer shouted at him not to move.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
13 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Wilson said, from his experience, the footballers turning to sleeping pills were often those with niggling injuries.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The hard part of getting cars to drive themselves is the last niggling 1 percent of reliability.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
18 Oct. 2016
Verb
-
Trump’s carping notwithstanding, economic growth spiked during Powell’s first year to 3 percent, the highest since the mid-2000s, and wages rose at the fastest rate since before the financial crisis.—
Roger Lowenstein,
The Atlantic,
16 Jan. 2026
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Should the pattern hold true throughout the long march to the Super Bowl, nobody’s going to be carping about the official headcount.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nitpicking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpicking. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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