What is another word for pettifogging?
Pronunciation: [pˈɛtɪfˌɒɡɪŋ] (IPA) 
Pettifogging is a term used to describe someone who argues over insignificant or trivial things. Some synonyms for pettifogging are nitpicking, carping, caviling, quibbling, and hair-splitting. These words all convey a sense of someone who is overly concerned with small and unimportant details, to the point of being annoying or frustrating. Other synonyms include fault-finding, finicky, fussbudgety, and captious. These words all suggest a critical, fault-finding attitude, often done in a petty or trivial way. Ultimately, anyone who is pettifogging is being overly critical and overly focused on small details, at the expense of the bigger picture.
