hairsplitting

adjective

Definition of hairsplittingnext
as in subtle
made or done with extreme care and accuracy usage experts have attempted to make some hairsplitting distinctions between the two words, but most writers blithely ignore them

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hairsplitting
  1. subtle
  2. delicate
  3. fine
  4. exact
Adjective
  • But even without winning an Editors' Choice award, the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro commands attention with some subtle new features.
    Brian Westover, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
  • Come September this year, the material anchored many fashion crowd ’fits, who opted for the material as subtle accessories and head-to-toe looks.
    Laura Jackson, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • Amid that delicate task, the central bank could fall under an uncomfortable political spotlight should Trump follow his previous pattern of publicly attacking Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
    Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
  • His lips are set, his eyes confrontational almost, though his posture seems delicate, tender, shoulders hunched.
    Essence, Essence, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of delicate
Adjective
  • But, in the final moments of season 5, episode 6, it is revealed that while Nancy's lump was fine, the same could not be said for Tommy, who got tested in solidarity.
    Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 5 Nov. 2024
  • While his mom and dad knew something was wrong, doctors said Elijah was fine — then he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
    Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of fine
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, for this exact reason, the studios decided to steer clear of the second weekend of November, which means there’s nothing else to talk about.
    Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2024
  • Scientists are still debating the exact nature of the core’s material.
    Benjamin Roulston, Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2024
Definition of exact
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near hairsplitting

hairsplitters

hairsplitting

hairstyle

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Hairsplitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hairsplitting. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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