What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
pernickety
Example
My boss is very pernickety about how the files are organized. [pernickety: adjective]
Example
She's so pernickety that she won't eat anything that's not cooked exactly the way she likes it. [pernickety: adjective]
nitpicking
Example
Stop nitpicking and just enjoy the movie. [nitpicking: verb]
Example
He's always nitpicking about my grammar, even though he makes mistakes too. [nitpicking: present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Nitpicking is more commonly used than pernickety in everyday language. Nitpicking is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while pernickety is less common and refers to a specific type of behavior.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between pernickety and nitpicking?
Both pernickety and nitpicking are informal words and are not typically used in formal contexts.
