cavil 1 of 2

verb

ˈka-vəl How to pronounce cavil (audio)
Definition of cavilnext
as in to complain
to make often peevish criticisms or objections about matters that are minor, unimportant, or irrelevant caviled for hours about a single sentence

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cavil

2 of 2

noun

as in quibble

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cavil
Verb
Naysayers often cavil that California’s economic growth depends almost entirely on Silicon Valley and the capital gains income of its wealthiest residents, but its primacy in high technology encompasses fields outside Northern California, such as biotech. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2021 However, the actual interiors of this four-bedroom home are nothing to cavil at. — Kelly Corbett, House Beautiful, 7 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cavil
  1. complain
  2. quibble
  3. nitpick
  4. quarrel
  5. fuss
  6. doubt
  7. moan
  8. dispute
Verb
  • Also requested were documents related to a lawsuit, recently settled for $135,000, claiming Kramer had given an improper assessment of a property and retaliated against an employee who complained.
    — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
  • Gal and Amora barely know each other, and Jaiden and Caleb have been complaining about one another for the past three days.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of complain
Noun
  • Still, this is a small quibble next to the accomplishment of this book.
    — John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
  • The band, expanded to include touring keyboardist Loren Gold, seemed exhilarated, if a little stiff at times, a first-night quibble that will surely self-correct.
    — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Definition of quibble
Verb
  • Tucker even nitpicked the nine-pitch at-bat that ended in the pull-side homer.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026
  • And the backdrop of worldwide unrest and escalating nuclear threat is subtle to a fault, though that’s just nitpicking.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2026
Definition of nitpick
Noun
  • The victim got into a quarrel inside Bob’s Classic Barber Shop on Albany Ave.
    — Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026
  • Rounding out the top five names were seven write-in votes for the Sacramento Capitals or Capitols — which could be nicknamed the Caps to avoid quarrels over the spelling — and six votes for the Sacramento Stingers or Sting, referencing the collegiate Sacramento State Hornets.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Definition of quarrel
Verb
  • Yes, teaching by example is often a better way of handling a challenge than fussing about it.
    — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
  • No need to fuss-up something that's just as delicious prepared simply.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
Definition of fuss
Noun
  • Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie looked like Serie A regulars, Folarin Balogun’s finishing was on song and Gio Reyna put to rest any doubts about his selection by channelling his inner Luka Modric.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • As tech stocks waver on doubts the AI boom will prove sustainable, India is emerging as a safe haven for global investors looking to hedge their bets and weather the volatility, Bloomberg wrote.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of doubt
Verb
  • The call lasted for 12 excruciating minutes, as Adams moaned in pain.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2026
  • Witnesses who observed those executions later shared unnerving, and, at times, horrific, accounts of inmates thrashing, moaning, or otherwise appearing to show signs of suffering after the nitrogen gas began to flow.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 11 June 2026
Definition of moan
Noun
  • Herzog won a power struggle in the front office, then quit anyway, amid disputes with ownership.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The court was established in 2001 and began functioning four years later as both an international court to settle disputes among Caribbean countries and as a final court of appeal.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
Definition of dispute

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Cite this Entry

“Cavil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cavil. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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