hairsplitting
/ˈhɛrˌsplɪtɪŋ/
noun
- The act of making overly fine or trivial distinctions in arguments or reasoning.
- The committee got nowhere because of constant hairsplitting over minor wording changes.
- Hairsplitting might win a debate, but it often loses friends.
- We need to stop the hairsplitting and agree on the main goal.
adjective
- Characterized by or involving overly fine or trivial distinctions.
- His hairsplitting analysis of the movie missed the emotional impact entirely.
- The lawyer's hairsplitting argument confused the jury more than it helped.
- I don't have time for hairsplitting details; just give me the big picture.
Synonyms