1
as in lawyer
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2
as in quibbler
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Recent Examples of pettifogger
For nearly three years now, I’ve been fascinated by the performance art of this blustering pettifogger.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2023
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pettifogger
Noun
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Trending Stories Additionally, his lawyers urged Judge Gregory Carro to allow Mangione to appear without the bulletproof vest he was required to wear at his February 21 state court appearance.—
Lorena O'Neil,
Rolling Stone,
5 June 2025
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Broward Circuit Judge Martin Fein ruled Thursday against three motions by Runcie’s defense lawyers to dismiss the case, clearing the way for the trial.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
5 June 2025
Noun
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To demonstrate that point in a video, a researcher told a robot arm to put a bunch of plastic grapes into a clear Tupperware container, then proceeded to shift three containers around on the table in an approximation of a shyster’s shell game.—
Eliza Strickland,
IEEE Spectrum,
12 Mar. 2025
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Holmes is another shyster whose story has been dissected in several documentaries and in dramatizations like Hulu’s The Dropout, but Gibney brings specific insights and a fresh perspective to this truly unbelievable story.—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
31 July 2024
Noun
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The Baltimore hardcore band has always pushed back against convention — Glow On mixed everything from samba and funk with alacrity, and genre purists have often balked at their flirtations with the mainstream.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2025
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Key lime pie purists like my mom won’t hear of recipes with cream cheese or sour cream—an authentic Florida key lime pie should be silky and custard-like, not dense or cheesecake-y, and doesn’t require baking.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
31 May 2025
Noun
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An attorney for the singer has revealed that Kelly — whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly — is hoping to be granted a pardon or have his sentence commuted due to concern that his life is in danger.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
12 June 2025
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McClatchy News reached out to his attorney June 11 and was awaiting a response.—
Sara Schilling,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pettifogger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pettifogger. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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