1
as in lawyer
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2
as in quibbler
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Recent Examples of pettifogger
For nearly three years now, I’ve been fascinated by the performance art of this blustering pettifogger.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2023
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pettifogger
Noun
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The group contains multiple doctors and lawyers.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Washington Post,
28 Apr. 2026
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Horner’s mother was one of the first defense witnesses to testify last week as Horner’s lawyers try to convince the jury that he should be sentenced to life in prison without parole instead of the death penalty.—
Amy McDaniel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The bubble-ists think that the Coreweave people are hopeless dreamers at best and shysters at worst.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
28 Sep. 2025
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To demonstrate that point in a video, a researcher told a robot arm to put a bunch of plastic grapes into a clear Tupperware container, then proceeded to shift three containers around on the table in an approximation of a shyster’s shell game.—
Eliza Strickland,
IEEE Spectrum,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Some include fruit that purists might not approve of, but that should be tried.—
Victoria Spencer,
Martha Stewart,
30 Apr. 2026
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That song’s twangful snarl — wonderfully sung by Clark, a star recording artist in her own right — is a reminder that these insurgents are also preservationists, capable of delivering old-fashioned pleasures to please the purists.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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MacArthur continues to be represented by Innovative Artists Entertainment and attorney Todd Rubenstein of Yorn, Levine, Barnes.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
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The attorney said Bjornstad had once hoped to pilot the app with Oregon State, but the ongoing situation has complicated those plans.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The actress puts her Broadway chops to good use as the ambitious perfectionist (and Barbra Streisand obsessive) Rachel Berry on Glee, earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the role.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
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Kurtz said the partners are all perfectionists, and that carries over to their cup quality.—
Jenna Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pettifogger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pettifogger. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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