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)

quibbled, quibbling 

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

Other Word Forms

• quibbling adjective
• quibblingly adverb
• quibbler noun
• outquibble verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of quibble¹

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

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

Example Sentences

"Whilst there isn't much to quibble about in the conclusions reached, notably missing is any focus on the resource issues that are a key part of the context to those delays and failures," she said.

Read more on BBC

Eliot — no stranger to feline alter egos — responded earnestly to a poetic quibble.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

My quibbles with the ending are too close to spoilers to cite outright.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But she dismissed arguments that regular sugar is less processed as "completely quibbling", noting that both products require stripping out fibre and other nutritional benefits.

Read more on BBC

Yet quibbling would seem as tweedy as arguing that the film is peddling both nostalgia and anemoia — a longing for an era one never knew firsthand.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bicker 
• carp 
• spar 
• squabble 
• waffle 
• wrangle