HAIRSPLITTING Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

hairsplitting

adjective

Definition of hairsplitting

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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hairsplitting

Adjective

That possibility, however subtle, may have helped drive the legal chaos that unfolded in Baton Rouge just 48 hours before LSU was scheduled to take the field.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Birdseye maple recurs as a detail on furniture and banisters, along with subtle copper details and velvet seating.

— Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of subtle

Adjective

The only way to safely examine these delicate remains is through highly sensitive techniques like neutron imaging.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2026
Although combining these delicate thin films usually causes damage and blocks light, special protection layers and modified electrodes overcome these assembly issues to maximize power output.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of delicate

Adjective

Spray cooling covers a surface with fine droplets that absorb heat and evaporate.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Now, some of the restaurants carrying that distinction are also questioning the conventions that have come to define fine dining.

— Carinne Geil Botta, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of fine

Adjective

The department has said about 20 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor for actions at Wounded Knee, though the exact number is unclear due to incomplete or unclear records.

— Meghan O'Brien, States Newsroom, 3 Sep. 2026
The piece gets into such details as what Vrabel and one of his assistants had for dinner the night before the game and that the two discussed the exact game scenario that led to the decision to go for two.

— Mike Semel, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of exact

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Browse Nearby Words

hairsplitters

hairsplitting

hairstyle

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“Hairsplitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hairsplitting. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of hairsplitting

adjective

Example Sentences

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