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
The reason that Chernow’s failure to take cognizance of the steamboat Arago seems problematic enough to nitpick has nothing to do with the business of the pen name, which Chernow does discuss.
—
John Jeremiah Sullivan, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
As grocers — especially ethnic stores — work to navigate a global trade war, tariffs, and snarled supply chains, they’re also forced to contend with measures nitpicking nearly every aspect of their businesses.
—Ron Fong, Oc Register, 21 May 2025
This is pretty much your standard-issue focus-group scene, with dopey viewers idiotically nitpicking irrelevant details.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 2 May 2025
After 40-Yard Dash Time Sanders had a good showing overall at the pro day, but as with his entire career, people have been nitpicking it.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
John Jeremiah Sullivan, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
As grocers — especially ethnic stores — work to navigate a global trade war, tariffs, and snarled supply chains, they’re also forced to contend with measures nitpicking nearly every aspect of their businesses.
—Ron Fong, Oc Register, 21 May 2025
This is pretty much your standard-issue focus-group scene, with dopey viewers idiotically nitpicking irrelevant details.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 2 May 2025
After 40-Yard Dash Time Sanders had a good showing overall at the pro day, but as with his entire career, people have been nitpicking it.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nitpick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpick
Verb
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A number of Tesla shareholders, including some Democrats who oversee the investment of public sector pension fund money in Tesla stock, complained in May to Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm that Musk’s other activities are hurting the company.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
14 July 2025
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Essentially, the legislation does away with a process that some have complained can be time-consuming and expensive—at least in some cases.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
Verb
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That was the number that the secretary was quibbling over.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
1 June 2025
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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
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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Helen bending at her wide waist, fussing again with the shoe, a cream leather high-top, cursing quietly under her breath, hair falling into her face.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 June 2025
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As a storyteller, Tyagi isn’t too fussed about making his plot persuasive — the ease with which Nair and his co-counsel Dilreet Gill, played by Ananya Panday, manage to uncover evidence defies logic.—
Anupama Chopra,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Now-tired 2010 fads that Lorde pioneered, including bittersweet tropical-pop textures and moaning vocal snippets, are everywhere.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2025
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After one season, he was forcefully rejected by the community, which moaned to the press (and the local police) that the tranquil pondside inn was becoming a celebrity- and influencer-infested late-night party spot just like his club in the city.—
Brock Colyar,
Curbed,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpick. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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