hair-splitter

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.

His judges considered him as an unreasonable man, a gifted sophist fertile in inventing objections in and out of season, a hair-splitter perpetually arguing for argument's sake.

From Fray Luis de León A Biographical Fragment by Fitzmaurice-Kelly, James

Evidently, coroner and doctor were inclined to be testy with each other, and the newspaper report left the impression that Dr. Scaife was a hair-splitter.

From The House 'Round the Corner by Tracy, Louis

He isn't going to be the dead easy mark I hoped to find in the son of the old bankrupt hair-splitter, Genie, girl.

From The City of Numbered Days by Lynde, Francis

So severely dialectical was he that he seemed to be a hair-splitter.

From Beacon Lights of History, Volume 01 The Old Pagan Civilizations by Lord, John

"You are the hair-splitter this time," said he, ruefully.

From The Booming of Acre Hill And Other Reminiscences of Urban and Suburban Life by Bangs, John Kendrick