nitpicks

verb

present tense third-person singular of nitpick
as in complains
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of nitpicks 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitpicks
  1. complains
  2. fusses
  3. moans
Verb
  • 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
  • Prescribing Tylenol to a patient who continually complains of back pain will not necessarily solve what ails them.
    — Chris Adams, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of complains
Verb
  • Five-month-old Ladoo fusses in a hammock made from an old scarf.
    — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of fusses
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
Definition of moans

Browse Nearby Words

nitpicking
nitpicks
nitpicky
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nitpicks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitpicks. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of oxymoron

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All