KWIB-ul
QUIBBLE To argue or complain about a trivial matter; a minor objection or criticism.
20
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
💡 Pro Tip:
Playing QUIBBLE uses all 7 tiles from your rack, earning a 50-point bingo bonus in Scrabble! Total potential: $70 points before multipliers.
A quibble is a slight objection or criticism about a trivial matter, often seen as petty or unnecessary. As a verb, to quibble means to argue about minor details while potentially missing the larger point. It implies focusing on insignificant aspects rather than substantive issues.
The word captures a particular type of argumentative behavior - finding fault with small details rather than engaging with main arguments. Quibbling is often seen as an avoidance tactic or a sign of pedantry, though sometimes attention to detail is important.
In word games, 'quibble' offers good value as a 7-letter Q word with the common -IBBLE ending. The double B adds extra points while the familiar pattern makes it easier to remember and play than more exotic Q words.
Quibbling has become synonymous with nitpicking in modern usage. In legal contexts, however, what might seem like quibbling over word choices can have significant implications for contracts and legislation.
The word 'quibble' originated in the early 17th century, possibly from the obsolete 'quib' meaning a petty objection. Some etymologists link it to Latin 'quibus' (by which things), referring to legal language in documents. The word may have developed from the practice of lawyers arguing over the precise meaning of 'quibus' clauses in legal documents. The association with trivial argumentation has remained constant throughout its history.
Words with similar meaning
NITPICK
Find minor faults
CAVIL
Make petty objections
CARP
Complain continually
SPLIT HAIRS
Make fine distinctions
BICKER
Argue about trivia
Words with opposite meaning
AGREE
Concur with
ACCEPT
Receive willingly
CONCEDE
Admit or yield
APPROVE
Express favor
Plural Form
quibbles
Verb Forms
quibble, quibbled, quibbling
Adjective Form
quibbling
Noun Form
quibbler
Related Terms
Argue about minor points
Small objection
Without objection
Find fault with
Total base points: 20 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 3 | Consonants: 4
Can be built from:
Can extend to:
Other high-scoring 7-letter words (Scrabble)
If you can't play QUIBBLE, consider these subwords:
"Let's not quibble over a few dollars when the overall budget is sound."
"Her only quibble with the restaurant was the small portion sizes."
"The editor had several quibbles about comma placement in the manuscript."
[object Object]
Quibble vs quarrel
Quibble is minor, quarrel is major
Always negative?
Usually but not always pejorative
Formal register
More formal than 'nitpick'
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like QUIBBLE