pettifogging

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Experts were doubtful from the start of his pettifogging that he had reasonable grounds to bail out.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2022

But the vast majority of our elected representatives overruled the pettifogging legalisms of Kennedy and the others.

From Washington Times • Jan. 13, 2021

On the first day of the Trump impeachment trial, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts uttered the word "pettifogging" to illustrate a point.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2020

He’s the ultimate Gary Stu character: a billionaire beholden to no one and able to abuse every disingenuous and pettifogging remora latched headfirst on the nation and sucking upward.

From The Guardian • Feb. 24, 2016

He is only a pettifogging country Squire, whose views on the Land Question are ob-solete in tot-to.

From Mushroom Town by Onions, Oliver