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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nitpick
People are sick of the Biden administration’s excessive overreach, including the intention to hire 87,000 new Internal Revenue Service agents to nitpick every aspect of their lives.
—
Carol Miller, National Review, 16 Dec. 2024
Or perhaps division, as outsiders begin to nitpick the juggernaut and single out which players are most important to the pursuit.
—Kyle Tucker, The Athletic, 4 Apr. 2024
Margins Issues are Overblown Analysts were nitpicking margins, yet this concern is overblown.
—Beth Kindig, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
This isn’t to nitpick but to suggest there are deeper questions about the way true crime participates in cultural imaginings of empathy that could be explored even within these productions.
—Alessa Dominguez, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for nitpick 
Carol Miller, National Review, 16 Dec. 2024
Or perhaps division, as outsiders begin to nitpick the juggernaut and single out which players are most important to the pursuit.
—Kyle Tucker, The Athletic, 4 Apr. 2024
Margins Issues are Overblown Analysts were nitpicking margins, yet this concern is overblown.
—Beth Kindig, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
This isn’t to nitpick but to suggest there are deeper questions about the way true crime participates in cultural imaginings of empathy that could be explored even within these productions.
—Alessa Dominguez, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for nitpick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpick
Verb
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Trump has complained about China’s rising influence over the canal.—
Bart Jansen,
USA TODAY,
28 Jan. 2025
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Some consumers have also complained that bulk billing arrangements can burden them with a single, subpar internet service that costs more.—
Michael Kan,
PCMAG,
27 Jan. 2025
Verb
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That is so nice that Miss Manners does not want to quibble.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2025
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For instance, the Supreme Court could quibble with how the lower court reached its decision upholding the law and order the court to revise its opinion.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
10 Jan. 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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Palmieri also has a 16-team no-trade list but, like Nelson, certainly should not be fussed about being moved to a Cup contender for a few months.—
Arthur Staple,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
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Later that day, the boys fuss around their grandmother at the dinner table.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Jasmine moans with pleasure as Gino traces her legs with his tongue.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
22 Dec. 2024
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Many of the patients were critically ill and moaning in pain from broken bones, head gashes and other injuries blamed on Tropical Storm Helene.—
Beth Warren,
The Tennessean,
20 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near nitpick
Cite this Entry
“Nitpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpick. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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