as in slight
old-fashioned
worrying too much about details that are minor or not important
pettifogging lawyers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pettifogging
Adjective
-
Injuries can range from a slight stretching of the ligament to a complete tear, where the knee becomes unstable.—
Paul McClure
May 31,
New Atlas,
31 May 2025 -
By virtue of no state income tax, Florida, Tampa Bay, Vegas, Dallas and Nashville do enjoy a slight competitive advantage, but the first 14 Cup champions of the cap era didn’t share that same edge.—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
The lives of these accomplished, seemingly independent women revolve around men, petty antics and low-stakes squabbles.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 May 2025
-
But the most powerful response isn’t rage or petty retaliation.—
Suneeta Motala,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
Some of these dust particles may be the remnants of the countless tiny meteors that collide with Earth's atmosphere on a daily basis, while others were born of volcanic eruptions or pollution before getting carried high into the atmosphere.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
28 May 2025
-
And don't forget to grab a baby nasal aspirator to help clear tiny nostrils.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
Yeti's tiny stacking mugs come in a minute 4-ounce size, or a 6-ounce size with a handle.—
Adrienne So,
Wired News,
1 May 2025
-
As such, even the most seemingly minute details within your home’s decor are actually of vital importance.—
Rowan Briggs,
Mercury News,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
Frankly, the more trifling the crime, the better this franchise’s comedy aspirations would work.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
-
With that much water needed for even the most trifling tasks, the natural question becomes: How does that water reach those data centers, let alone the world’s farms and factories?—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 May 2010
Adjective
-
Every interaction, no matter how trivial, could end up being a bit.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
-
This explains why trivial choices, like what to wear or eat and many more throughout your day can leave you mentally exhausted before tackling important tasks.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Adjective
-
In Madrid, little is known about Bellingham’s social life.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
-
That is why the reappraisal of Biden’s physical and mental abilities while in office has so far done little to reassure the public.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Then, the pandemic reduced the schedule to 60 games and Eddie got a piddling 37%.—
Star Tribune,
Star Tribune,
3 Dec. 2020
-
Millions of additional claims are expected to stream in from around the country over the coming weeks, while hiring remains piddling.—
Patricia Cohen,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2020
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.
Cite this Entry
“Pettifogging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pettifogging. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share