hair-splitting

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.

In his written judgement, Mr Justice Knowles said the grounds on which the panel had rejected the judge's application for relocation amounted to "semantic hair-splitting".

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2024

VOA’s stance has led to some intricate hair-splitting.

From Washington Times • Oct. 25, 2023

And so, after all the parsing and hair-splitting, we come to the heartfelt, rough-hewn denials.

From Salon • Jun. 30, 2023

The court’s hair-splitting exercise illustrates what one judge called an “Escherian Stairwell.”

From Slate • Oct. 18, 2021

To those who oppose him in political matters he is prepared, without any hair-splitting, to give a regular good wigging all round.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 105, September 9, 1893 by Various