Nitpick: meaning, definitions and examples

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nitpick

[ ˈnɪtˌpɪk ]

Verb

^{Context #1 | Verb}

picky about details

To nitpick means to focus on small, trivial details or faults, often in a critical or pedantic manner. It involves finding minor flaws or errors that may not be significant in the grand scheme of things.

Synonyms

be overly critical, be pedantic, find fault, split hairs.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
nitpick	Usually used in casual or informal situations where someone is focusing on small, insignificant details or errors. He tends to nitpick about every little error in the report
be pedantic	Used when someone is over-focused on minor details or displaying their knowledge in a way that comes across as overly scholarly or academic. Often has a negative or disapproving tone. He can be quite pedantic, always pointing out obscure grammar rules in our conversations
be overly critical	Applies in situations where someone is criticizing too much or is extremely negative about something. This often has a negative connotation. She is overly critical of her employees, which makes them feel undervalued
split hairs	Used in informal or conversational contexts to describe someone drawing unnecessarily fine distinctions or arguing over trivial details. Let's not split hairs over the wording in the contract; we all understand the main point
find fault	Applicable when someone is constantly looking for mistakes or things to criticize. This often carries a negative connotation. No matter how well you do the job, he always finds fault with your performance

Examples of usage

He always nitpicks about punctuation in emails.
She tends to nitpick every little mistake in our work.
Don't nitpick over insignificant details.
I don't mean to nitpick, but there is a typo in this document.
The teacher nitpicked at the formatting of our essays.

Translations

Translations of the word "nitpick" in other languages:

🇵🇹 detalhar

🇮🇳 नुकसान निकालना

🇩🇪 herumreiten

🇮🇩 mengkritik hal-hal kecil

🇺🇦 придиратися

🇵🇱 czepiać się

🇯🇵 細かいことを気にする

🇫🇷 pinailler

🇪🇸 dar importancia a detalles

🇹🇷 dedikodu yapmak

🇰🇷 트집 잡다

🇸🇦 انتقاد التفاصيل

🇨🇿 přehnaně kritizovat

🇸🇰 zbytočne kritizovať

🇨🇳 挑剔

🇸🇮 prikrajati

🇮🇸 pinna

🇰🇿 тұздықтау

🇬🇪 ბრძოლა

🇦🇿 xırda məsələlərə toxunmaq

🇲🇽 criticar detalles

Etymology

The term 'nitpick' originated in the mid-20th century, combining 'nit,' referring to a louse egg, and 'pick,' meaning to remove or separate. The image is of someone meticulously removing tiny 'nits' or flaws, much like picking nits off a strand of hair. Over time, the word has evolved to refer to the act of focusing on trivial details or faults.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #41,934, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.

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41932 feting
41933 tautening
41934 nitpick
41935 anodize
41936 cosiest
41937 piousness
...