quibbling

[ kwib-ling ]

See synonyms for quibbling on Thesaurus.com

adjective

characterized by or consisting of quibbles; carping; niggling: quibbling debates.

noun

the act of a person who quibbles.
an instance of quibbling: a relationship marked by frequent quibblings.

Origin of quibbling

¹

First recorded in 1650–60; quibble + -ing², -ing¹

Other words from quibbling

quib·bling·ly, adverb
un·quib·bling, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use quibbling in a sentence

They assume some chimerical notion, whence they think to derive some use, and which they endeavour to maintain by quibblings.
Theodicy | G. W. Leibniz
Neither explanation can be taken seriously, as they are obvious quibblings.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 2 of 2 | Various
Not perhaps of the God of Nicaea, but what did these poor little quibblings and definitions of the theologians matter?
Soul of a Bishop | H. G. Wells
He had been worrying about these definitions and quibblings for four long restless years.
Soul of a Bishop | H. G. Wells

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