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View synonyms for quibble

quibble

[ kwib-uhl ]

noun

  1. an instance of the use of ambiguous, prevaricating, or irrelevant language or arguments to evade a point at issue.

    Synonyms: ambiguity, shift, sophism, equivocation, evasion

  2. the general use of such arguments.
  3. petty or carping criticism; a minor objection.


verb (used without object)

, quib·bled, quib·bling.
  1. to equivocate.
  2. to carp; cavil.

quibble

/ ˈkwɪbəl /

verb

  1. to make trivial objections; prevaricate
  2. archaic.
    to play on words; pun


noun

  1. a trivial objection or equivocation, esp one used to avoid an issue
  2. archaic.
    a pun

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Derived Forms

  • ˈquibblingly, adverb
  • ˈquibbler, noun
  • ˈquibbling, adjectivenoun

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Other Words From

  • quibbler noun
  • outquibble verb (used with object) outquibbled outquibbling

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Word History and Origins

Origin of quibble1

1605–15; perhaps derivative ( -le ) of quib gibe, apparently akin to quip

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Word History and Origins

Origin of quibble1

C17: probably from obsolete quib, perhaps from Latin quibus (from quī who, which), as used in legal documents, with reference to their obscure phraseology

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Example Sentences

Even with minor quibbles like the lack of an SD card slot and having to buy one or two necessary accessories, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the most well-rounded flagship Android phone, making it the best choice for most people.

Forget any semantic quibbles over the meaning of the term “insurrection.”

Labor historian Nelson Lichtenstein says Big Tech has a tendency to lean on its transformational image to paper over any labor complaints and minimize them as quibbles that are impeding the evolution of the world.

Michael Dobbs makes a splendid case that Nixon was “an American tragedy,” though I have a quibble.

While it does take a few jujitsu-like maneuvers to fold the rear seats completely flat, this is a minor quibble.

A weird thing to quibble about, considering he is a moon landing denier.

There are several other things in the Wiki vs. doctors article to quibble about, which the authors generously note.

This quibble aside, “Breakfast with Mugabe” offers food for thought.

You can quibble about beginnings, middles and ends but what we're talking about is over a year ago.

You can quibble with the “vast” part, I guess, depending on how you define that word.

Because of a quibble on his part this loathsome thing would ruin his future, dash his hopes to the ground, blacken his life.

He saw that the reason which he had given for disbelief was untenable, and he was too straightforward to quibble about it.

He had hoped for a vigorous denial on Thorpe's part, but this halfway confession seemed to him a mere quibble.

That's a mere quibble, Miss Bridgeman: the association is just the same, and she ought to feel it.

Professor Holcomb was a man of terse, heavy thinking; he spoke what he thought and he did not quibble.

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Quezon y Molinaquibbling