quibbling

American

[kwib-ling] / ˈkwɪb lɪŋ /

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.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of quibbling

First recorded in 1650–60; quibble + -ing ², -ing ¹

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.

But quibbling over individual op-eds let him sidestep some uncomfortable introspection.

From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026

It was a mistake to think that you could give the beach cottage to these quibbling brothers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025

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.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2025

The ongoing quibbling over whether "The Bear" is a comedy or a drama received a new splash of accelerant when the FX series landed 23 Emmy Award nominations on Wednesday.

From Salon • Jul. 18, 2024

“There could be no quibbling with a request of yours, no matter who delivered it. We’re here to serve, not to question.”

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

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