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Definitions

nitty-gritty

[nit-ee-grit-ee] / ˈnɪt iˈgrɪt i /
NOUN
basic facts
Synonyms
STRONG
basics core essence focus fundamentals gist heart kernel meat quintessence reality root soul substance
WEAK
bottom line brass tacks chief part chief thing cold fact essential details essential part hard fact heart of the matter important matter meat and potatoes name of the game nuts and bolts the facts the name of the game
Antonyms
STRONG
exterior exteriority outside surface

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While his peers scrimmaged against players in their own grade, the young Kon Knueppel spent his evenings taking a crash course in basketball nitty-gritty from guys two or three times his age.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

His advice is to really get into the nitty-gritty of what might go wrong with the vehicle and how much repairs might cost.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026

“Democrats have got to turn the focus and start to appreciate those that are all around this country, that are doing the nitty-gritty day-to-day work, that don’t have all the money,” Bush said.

From Slate • Oct. 23, 2025

"We are not that far apart right now on the deal. In fact, they're negotiating the nitty-gritty of the deal," he said during a confirmation hearing last week.

From BBC • Sep. 16, 2025

The nitty-gritty details of the historical event itself might slip in and out of my brain like water through a screen, but this, this I could do.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin