Synonyms

nitty-gritty

American

[nit-ee-grit-ee] / ˈnɪt iˈgrɪt i /

noun

the essential substance or details of a matter; basics; crux.

Let's skip the chitchat and get down to the nitty-gritty.

adjective

fundamental, detailed, or probing.

nitty-gritty questions.
direct and practical.

nitty-gritty advice; a nitty-gritty system.

nitty-gritty British

/ ˈnɪtɪˈɡrɪtɪ /

noun

informal the basic facts of a matter, situation, etc; the core

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of nitty-gritty

An Americanism dating back to 1960–65; rhyming compound of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Before we get into the nitty gritty, had you already been a fan of “Squid Game”? Did you watch the first season?

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2024

They were just sort of in a, in a very nitty gritty way, trying to solve the problems that were put in front of them.

From Scientific American • Oct. 12, 2023

They got into the nitty gritty on how to go about provide training and which countries might be willing to transfer jets to Ukraine.

From Seattle Times • May 22, 2023

Could you share all the nitty gritty details?

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2023

"He gets into the nitty gritty, he passes legislation here in Florida that lots of people didn't think could pass in the past until he came along."

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023