hairsplitting
Definition
Adjective:
- Overly concerned with minute details or distinctions: Characterized by making excessively fine or trivial distinctions, especially in argument or reasoning.
Noun:
- The act of making excessively fine or trivial distinctions: The practice of arguing about or focusing on very small, often unimportant, differences.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- The debate devolved into a hairsplitting argument about the precise wording of the clause.
- His hairsplitting analysis of the poem missed its overall emotional impact.
Noun:
- The lawyer's hairsplitting over the contract's definitions delayed the signing for hours.
- We need practical solutions, not semantic hairsplitting.
Advanced Usage
- "To engage in hairsplitting": To participate in making overly fine distinctions.
- The philosopher was known to engage in hairsplitting that fascinated his students but frustrated his colleagues.
Variants and Related Words
- Hairsplitter (noun): A person who makes excessively fine distinctions.
- He was dismissed as a mere hairsplitter who loved debate for its own sake.
Synonyms
- Adjective: Nitpicking, quibbling, overnice, finespun.
- Noun: Quibbling, caviling, nitpicking, sophistry.
Related Idioms
- "To split hairs": To make small and unnecessary distinctions. (This is the verbal phrase from which "hairsplitting" is derived).
- Arguing about whether it happened at 3:01 or 3:02 is just splitting hairs; the important thing is that it happened.
Adjective
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developed in excessively fine detail
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finespun distinctions
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Noun
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making too fine distinctions of little importance
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they didn't take his hairsplitting seriously
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