quibble
Americannoun
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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
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the general use of such arguments.
-
petty or carping criticism; a minor objection.
verb (used without object)
-
to equivocate.
-
to carp; cavil.
verb
-
to make trivial objections; prevaricate
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archaic to play on words; pun
noun
-
a trivial objection or equivocation, esp one used to avoid an issue
-
archaic a pun
Other Word Forms
- outquibble verb (used with object)
- quibbler noun
- quibbling adjective
- quibblingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of quibble
1605–15; perhaps derivative ( -le ) of quib gibe, apparently akin to quip
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.
Many will quibble with the Georgia Senate’s income tax relief plan, and the Journal has provided helpful guidance for how the proposal could be improved as it moves through the legislative process.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026
The main quibble with this second season is the writers’ heavy reliance on our fondness for the returning cast, which comes at the expense of newcomers like Al-Hashimi or the latest crop of medical students.
From Salon • Jan. 8, 2026
The only quibble is the show primarily runs on weekends only.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 19, 2025
"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.
From BBC • Oct. 9, 2025
They were working for the Man in an unequal, sometimes unjust society—I doubt that many would quibble with that description.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
