Definitions

pettifogging

[pet-ee-fog-ing, -faw-ging] / ˈpɛt iˌfɒg ɪŋ, -ˌfɔ gɪŋ /

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fault-finding adj.
inconsiderable adj.
petty adj.
piddling adj.

ADJECTIVE

fault-finding

Synonyms

WEAK

captious carping fussy hairsplitting hard to please hypercritical nagging niggling nit-picking overcritical quibbling

ADJECTIVE

inconsiderable

Synonyms

WEAK

base casual cheap contemptible frivolous inconsequent inessential inferior irrelevant junior lesser light little lower measly minor narrow-minded negligible nickel-and-dime niggling nugatory of no account paltry peanut penny-ante picayune piddling scratch secondary shabby shallow shoestring slight small small-minded subordinate trifling two-bit unimportant

ADJECTIVE

petty

Synonyms

STRONGEST

frivolous lesser minor narrow-minded

STRONG

base inessential inferior junior light little lower peanut scratch secondary shallow shoestring slight small subordinate trifling

WEAK

casual cheap contemptible inconsequent inconsiderable irrelevant measly negligible nickel-and-dime niggling paltry penny-ante picayune piddling shabby small-minded two-bit unimportant

Antonyms

STRONGEST

greater major

STRONG

big enormous first-class first-rate great huge immense important large significant superior

WEAK

consequential necessary prominent useful

ADJECTIVE

piddling

Synonyms

STRONG

niggling trifling

WEAK

derisory little measly paltry peanut petty picayune puny trivial unimportant useless worthless

Antonyms

WEAK

important major significant

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.

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pettifogging

The virtue of this concept is that it divorces essential protections from pettifogging debates over the definition of “employee.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2022

But the vast majority of our elected representatives overruled the pettifogging legalisms of Kennedy and the others.

From Washington Times ● Jan. 13, 2021

On the first day of the Trump impeachment trial, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts uttered the word "pettifogging" to illustrate a point.

From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2020

By around the start of Wednesday’s proceedings, the pettifogging over Nadler’s use of “language that is not conducive to civil discourse” had extended from Republicans in the executive, to the judiciary, to the legislative.

From Slate ● Jan. 22, 2020

With a bitter curse upon the pettifogging dishonesty of his trading fellow countrymen, the now desperate man wrenched off one of the stirrups—not a bad weapon at a pinch—But once more fortune befriended him.

From The Ruby Sword A Romance of Baluchistan by Bertram Mitford

pettifogging

Example Sentences

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Related Words