quibbling

[ kwib-ling ]

/ ˈkwɪb lɪŋ /

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See synonyms for: quibbling / quibblings on Thesaurus.com

adjective

characterized by or consisting of quibbles; carping; niggling: quibbling debates.

noun

the act of a person who quibbles.

an instance of quibbling: a relationship marked by frequent quibblings.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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Origin of quibbling

First recorded in 1650–60; quibble + -ing², -ing¹

OTHER WORDS FROM quibbling

quib·bling·ly, adverbun·quib·bling, adjective

Words nearby quibbling

Quevedo y Villegas, quey, Quezon City, Quezon y Molina, quibble, quibbling, Quibdó, Quiberon, quiche, quiche Lorraine, Quichua

How to use quibbling in a sentence

Quibbling over dates aside, 19th century Americans did insistently observe a day of remembrance.
The Real Memorial Day: Oliver Wendell Holmes's Salute To A Momentous American Anniversary|Malcolm Jones|May 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Despite a spiraling rabbit hole of media quibbling about what Huckabee supposedly said, the basic gist of his remarks were clear.
The GOP’s Latest Ploy: Flatter Married Women|Amanda Marcotte|January 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Fast forward five decades, and mothers and daughters are still quibbling over food.
A Mother's Struggles with Her Teen|Hannah Seligson|September 8, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Thus was the noble "royal law according to the Scripture" destroyed by the petty quibbling use of the word "neighbour."
Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of Matthew|John Monro Gibson

Poetry had not as yet become the adversary of wit, nor had speculation abused itself by passing into quibbling.
The Aesthetical Essays|Friedrich Schiller
His argument is of merciless length, and occasionally so minute as to sound like quibbling.
The English Utilitarians, Volume I.|Leslie Stephen
As one reads these decisions, there is no evidence of political log-rolling, or of legal quibbling.
Railroads: Rates and Regulations|William Z. Ripley
Now, that's one of your quibbles, my dear Bishop, and I detest quibbling!
Lyre and Lancet|F. Anstey