ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Words›C›cavil
ISEE/SSAThard
cavil
to raise petty or needless objections
Synonyms
- quibble
- carp
- nitpick
Antonyms
- accept
- agree
- approve
cavil in a sentence
Some reviewers caviled about minor errors while ignoring the book's central argument.
The critics caviled about a misplaced comma but overlooked the essay's insight.
Where it comes from
From Latin cavillari, meaning 'to mock or quibble.'
Memory hook
CAVIL sounds like 'caveat': both can introduce objections, but cavils are petty ones.
Read it in context
- The Final Impression Arts
- The Chamber Argument Science
- The Negotiators of Cambrai History