Captious: meaning, definitions and examples

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captious

[ˈkæpʃəs ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Adjective}

critical

Tending to find fault or raise petty objections. Captious individuals often nitpick and criticize without reason.

Synonyms

critical, fault-finding, hypercritical.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
captious	Used to describe someone who raises petty objections or is difficult to please. Often used in a negative connotation. He was a captious critic, always finding minor flaws in the performance. Her captious comments made it hard for the team to stay motivated.
critical	Used to describe a person who evaluates or judges something, often indicating an essential examination or disapproving analysis. The teacher was critical of the student's essay, pointing out both strengths and weaknesses. Critical reviews of the movie helped me decide not to watch it.
fault-finding	Used to describe someone who is always looking for and pointing out faults, usually in a petty or annoying way. This has a negative connotation. His constant fault-finding made him unpopular among his coworkers. The manager’s fault-finding attitude created a tense work environment.
hypercritical	Used to describe someone who is excessively or unreasonably critical of others. Often indicates an unrealistic standard or harsh judgment. She has a hypercritical nature, never being satisfied with anyone else’s work. His hypercritical comments about the project were more destructive than helpful.

Examples of usage

He was known for his captious attitude towards his colleagues.
She always had a captious remark to make about everyone's work.
The captious customer complained about every little detail.

^{Context #2 | Adjective}

legal

Intended to entrap or confuse, especially in argument. Captious questions are designed to catch someone in a mistake or inconsistency.

Synonyms

caviling, cavillous, tricky.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
captious	Used to describe someone who often finds faults or raises objections, usually in a petty way. The captious critic could never give a positive review, no matter how excellent the performance
tricky	Often used to describe something that is difficult, complex, or deceptive. It can also be used to describe a person who is cunning and deceitful. Solving this puzzle is quite tricky / Be careful around him; he's a tricky character
caviling	Typically used when someone is making petty or unnecessary objections, often over trivial matters. She kept caviling about the smallest details in the contract, causing delays in finalizing it
cavillous	Similar to 'caviling,' this word is used to describe someone who habitually raises trivial and frivolous objections. His cavillous remarks during the meeting only annoyed his colleagues

Examples of usage

The lawyer posed captious questions to the witness in an attempt to undermine their testimony.
The captious argument was meant to trip up the defendant.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

The term 'captious' comes from the Latin word 'captiosus', meaning 'deceptive or tricky'.
Originally used in the late 16th century, it referred to someone who was deliberately trying to confuse or mislead.
The word is related to 'capture', highlighting how a captious person may 'capture' your mistakes.

Psychology

Captious individuals often have a critical perspective, which may stem from high standards or insecurities.
Being captious can affect relationships, as it may create a perception of negativity or frequent dissatisfaction.
Psychological studies suggest that overly critical behavior can be a protection mechanism against personal flaws.

Literature

Captious characters often appear in literature as antagonists, representing nagging doubts or societal critiques.
Famous authors like Jane Austen depicted captious characters to explore themes of social critique and personal ethics.
Shakespeare’s plays often included captious figures to add humor or tension to the narratives.

Pop Culture

In modern media, captious personalities are often highlighted in reality TV shows, showcasing constant bickering and conflict.
Social media influencers sometimes display captious behaviors to engage audiences through controversy and debate.
Various memes depict captious individuals as nitpickers, emphasizing how this personality type can draw attention online.

Philosophy

Philosophers often discuss the idea of captiousness in relation to skepticism and the search for truth.
Debate formats sometimes reveal captious tendencies when participants focus on finding flaws rather than fostering constructive dialogue.
The interplay between captiousness and open-mindedness is a common topic in ethical theory discussions.

Translations

Translations of the word "captious" in other languages:

🇵🇹 censório

🇮🇳 नुक्ताचीनी करने वाला

🇩🇪 kritisch

🇮🇩 cerewet

🇺🇦 прискіпливий

🇵🇱 czepialski

🇯🇵 重箱の隅を楊枝でほじくるような

🇫🇷 pointilleux

🇪🇸 quisquilloso

🇹🇷 titiz

🇰🇷 트집 잡는

🇸🇦 انتقادي

🇨🇿 puntičkářský

🇸🇰 puntičkársky

🇨🇳 吹毛求疵

🇸🇮 natančen

🇮🇸 smásmugulegur

🇰🇿 мін тағаушы

🇬🇪 მჭერმეტყველი

🇦🇿 dəqiq

🇲🇽 quisquilloso

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #29,883, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.

...
29880 drizzling
29881 creel
29882 snared
29883 captious
29884 seethed
29885 retching
29886 otic
...