NITTY-GRITTY Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

nitty-gritty 1 of 2

adjective

ˌni-tē-ˈgri-tē

Definition of nitty-gritty

as in mundane

having to do with the practical details of regular life a look at the nitty-gritty aspects of putting out a newspaper

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

nitty-gritty

2 of 2

noun

ˌni-tē-ˈgri-tē

as in ropes

the specific practical details of something the governor tends to leave the nitty-gritty of running the state government to others

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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 nitty-gritty

Noun

But the film never fully dips into the aesthetic nitty-gritty of the spring show. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026 While Druski is the mastermind behind the video, the Picasso responsible for that perfect blend of white makeup, fake tattoos, and farmer’s tan is Georgia makeup artist Kaylee Kehne-Swisher, who specializes in everything from commercial touchups and makeovers to nitty-gritty film special effects. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025 Of course, scientists that invested years of their life in nitty-gritty research are interested in visualizing it in the best light possible. — IEEE Spectrum, 17 May 2019 The woman who made a career singing about dating her high school teachers, about burning rubber and kissing ass, about being a nitty-gritty dirty little freak. — Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Sep. 2018 See All Example Sentences for nitty-gritty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nitty-gritty

Adjective

Renovations on the institution include updates to aging technical infrastructure, such as climate-control systems and elevators, and fixes to more mundane issues such as roof leaks.

— News Desk, Artforum, 12 Oct. 2026
The original pictures are low quality—at once smeary, ominous, and mundane.

— Hilton Als, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of mundane

Noun

Netflix is obviously against the ropes again, after slowing user engagement on the service rattled Wall Street investors and layoffs came this week as a sacrifice to the share price.

— Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
The vessel alerted authorities, and a Greek Coast Guard crew arrived to toss her ropes and pull her to safety.

— Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of ropes

Browse Nearby Words

nits

nitty-gritty

nitwit

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Style

“Nitty-gritty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nitty-gritty. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of nitty-gritty

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

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