quibble

1 of 2

verb

quib·​ble ˈkwi-bəl How to pronounce quibble (audio)
quibbled; quibbling ˈkwi-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce quibble (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to evade the point of an argument by caviling about words
2
a
: cavil, carp
b
: bicker

transitive verb

: to subject to quibbles
quibbler noun

quibble

2 of 2

noun

1
: an evasion of or shift from the point
2
: a minor objection or criticism

Did you know?

Quibble is most familiar as a verb, but it can also function as a noun meaning "an evasion of or shift from the point" and "a minor objection or criticism." Both forms of quibble settled into English in the mid-17th century, presumably (though not definitively) as a diminutive of a now-obsolete noun quib, meaning “quibble.” Quib in turn may have come from a form of Latin qui, meaning “who,” a distant relation also of our word who.

Examples of quibble in a Sentence

Verb he spent the entire evening quibbling about the historical inaccuracies in the television series on World War II don't quibble over who gets to sit in front Noun Our only quibble about the trip was that it rained a lot.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Historians might quibble over some of the details, but the film’s strategy is to make the Red Orchestra feel relatable and contemporary, with dialogue and wardrobe and hair choices designed to reflect this. Catherine Bray, Variety, 17 Feb. 2024 People might quibble over scientists’ observations that the last storm wasn’t particularly intense. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024 One commenter on the Reddit post claims to have already been told by Samsung to return their smartphone for a refund, indicating that the company isn’t quibbling with at least some customers experiencing the issue. Paul Monckton, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 Drug makers reap billions of dollars in profit, and the same Big Food companies that are partially responsible for this medical crisis quibble over possibly losing customers who just aren’t hungry any more. Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 2 Feb. 2024 Some may quibble with Niftski's use of an emulator and keyboard controls rather than a handheld controller and authentic NES hardware to achieve his record. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 8 Sep. 2023 But no one else? Advertisement Sorry, sorry, this is not the time to quibble over choices. Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2024 Imagine, quibbling over style points in what was forecast as a season to forget. Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2023 Oklahoma might quibble with that version of events, as its defense struggled in similar fashion to USC by the end of that tenure. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2023
Noun
My quibbles with the performance — some inelegant asides, some dropped comic timing — may well be among those issues that have zero impact on a casual listener seeking a worthwhile, ear-opening orchestral experience. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 For all the quibbles about her style and level of access, there is one thing that is beyond reproach: the work. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 The only quibble would involve some creative liberties taken with the book near the end (the author’s daughter, Michael Clavell, is among the producers), which are provocative but not necessarily an improvement. Brian Lowry, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024 To unravel the intricacies and try to resolve the geographic quibbles, here's a look at what makes up the beating heart of metro Phoenix. The Arizona Republic, 7 Feb. 2024 My only quibble is that any adjustments to the EQ invoke a message that stays on the screen for up to three seconds while the app makes the changes. PCMAG, 6 Feb. 2024 There are times when the more formal filmmaking choices, such as a frequent use of fisheye lenses, feel like gilding the lily, but that's a minor quibble. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 3 Sep. 2023 Her reviews were mostly excellent throughout her career, with a few quibbles here and there. Adam Nossiter, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2023 But these are minor quibbles in a play that takes the magic of the theater and subverts it into farcical disaster. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 21 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quibble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably diminutive of obsolete quib quibble

First Known Use

Verb

1665, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quibble was in 1650

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Dictionary Entries Near quibble

Cite this Entry

“Quibble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quibble. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

quibble

1 of 2 verb
quib·​ble ˈkwib-əl How to pronounce quibble (audio)
quibbled; quibbling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce quibble (audio)
1
: to talk about unimportant things rather than the real point
stop quibbling about words and tell what happened
2
: to find fault or argue over unimportant points
people ignored the main point of the speech and quibbled about its length
quibbler noun

quibble

2 of 2 noun
1
: a statement that deals with a minor matter and not the real point under discussion
2
: a minor objection or criticism

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