cavils 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of cavil

cavils

2 of 2

noun

plural of cavil

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cavils
Verb
  • Shannon basically complains so much that Jenn, a sweet baby angel straight from a Hallmark Christmas movie, offers to change rooms with her.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The private sector complains that there are jobs but that Indians aren’t skilled enough to be hired.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • On the new series, some House of Stassi castmembers raised their quarrels with Maloney joining their cast.
    McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Candi is the family mediator Like any father-daughter coaching dynamic, Corey and Coco have had their fair share of quarrels on the tennis court.
    Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • Five-month-old Ladoo fusses in a hammock made from an old scarf.
    Diaa Hadid, NPR, 2 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The documentary spotlighted some harsh criticisms of the show and of Banks.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Often these kinds of criticisms can be dismissed as a matter of taste, not to mention prejudice.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Musselwhite punctuated the music with his harmonica trills and moans while his right knee bounced in time with the rhythms.
    Kevin McKeough, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2026
  • As the video continues, one person can be heard yelling her name while the makeup artist moans in pain.
    Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
Noun
  • Defense objections were rare, and the prosecution let witnesses be dismissed without redirect questioning after cross-examination.
    CBS News, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The order also authorizes the Justice Department to challenge state vaccine regulations deemed insufficiently respectful of parental objections.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • So your first indication of problems can be a client who nitpicks every job, forcing you to return to re-trim the 2-inch patch of sod that the client claims wasn’t properly manicured.
    Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
  • But Brian constantly nitpicks her purchases.
    Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • IPOs misprice for reasons other than misunderstandings about the businesses.
    Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • As in much of Europe, tourism is a sensitive subject, so knowing the unwritten rules (and even a bit of the local language, Euskera) will help avoid misunderstandings and unlock the city’s joyful, trademark love of the table.
    Marti Buckley, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Aug. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Cavils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cavils. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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