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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Recent Examples of nitpick
Fans of the game have either enjoyed the series so far, nitpicked a number of differences between them, or both.
—
Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
The Kremlin’s sincerity in seeking a ceasefire is increasingly suspect after weeks of negotiating, nitpicking, and reneging on U.S. proposals already approved by Ukraine.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 11 Apr. 2025
In the sell-side analyst commentary out Wednesday morning, there also is some nitpicking around CrowdStrike’s 112% net retention rate, which was down slightly from the quarter before.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2025
The quarterback position, given its importance in football, is very easy to nitpick for NFL scouts.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
The Kremlin’s sincerity in seeking a ceasefire is increasingly suspect after weeks of negotiating, nitpicking, and reneging on U.S. proposals already approved by Ukraine.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 11 Apr. 2025
In the sell-side analyst commentary out Wednesday morning, there also is some nitpicking around CrowdStrike’s 112% net retention rate, which was down slightly from the quarter before.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2025
The quarterback position, given its importance in football, is very easy to nitpick for NFL scouts.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpick
Verb
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Many complain about a lack of tort reform, unrestricted attorney advertising or litigation funding, all of which contribute significantly to the scam.—
Robert Tyson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
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The firing after a nearly 30-year run appeared to surprise Starkey, after reports that Daltrey was not happy with the drummer’s performance at a March Royal Albert Hall gig, complaining from stage that Starkey’s loud playing was throwing him off.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
27 May 2025
Verb
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The new administration can quibble with the technical points of the listing, Koch said, but that will do nothing to change the reality: The bird is at risk of extinction and needs to be protected.—
Benji Jones,
Vox,
16 May 2025
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But there’s no need to quibble—we’ll watch Hugh Bonneville in just about anything.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
10 May 2025
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.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2021
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However, the actual interiors of this four-bedroom home are nothing to cavil at.—
Kelly Corbett,
House Beautiful,
7 Oct. 2020
Verb
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Throughout the footage, Leah, from Fort Worth, Texas, can be seen fussing Lunch Box and fawning over her sweet foster pup.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
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The baby occasionally fussed, and Khalil turned around and smiled at his wife and son.—
Chloe Atkins,
NBC news,
23 May 2025
Verb
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The Rockies have been a zombie baseball club for five years now, moaning and trudging along the National League cellar, wandering the darkness, looking for brains to eat.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
11 May 2025
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But the Francophone descriptor fails to conjure the dust her voice kicks up, the grit and moan that hang in the air after each song.—
Carrie Brownstein,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpick. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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