as in complains
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of nitpicks
So your first indication of problems can be a client who nitpicks every job, forcing you to return to re-trim the 2-inch patch of sod that the client claims wasn’t properly manicured.
—
Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
But Brian constantly nitpicks her purchases.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2025
Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
But Brian constantly nitpicks her purchases.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpicks
Verb
-
Kane often complains on social media that state gaming laws were constructed with traditional sportsbooks in mind, a process that failed to conceptualize exchanges.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Other conversations sound quaint, like one where a bot complains about its human, while some are bizarre, such as one from a bot that claims to have a sister.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Fennell begins on a black screen and the sound of creaks and moans.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Shannon moans right about the time Jenn walks out to see what the commotion is all about.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nitpicks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpicks. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
