cavil: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 / RareFormal, literary, somewhat archaic
Quick answer
What does “cavil” mean?
to raise trivial or frivolous objections.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to raise trivial or frivolous objections; to find fault unnecessarily.
To criticize or dispute for petty reasons; to nitpick over minor details, often in a way perceived as annoying or obstructive.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally rare and formal in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly pretentious or old-fashioned in both varieties. Often used to portray the critic as pedantic, petty, or overly academic.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both corpora. Possibly marginally more likely to be encountered in British academic or legal writing, but this is negligible.
Grammar
How to Use “cavil” in a Sentence
to cavil at/about/over somethingto cavil (that-clause)a cavil about/against somethingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cavil” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- It is futile to cavil over such a trivial clause in the contract.
- He would always cavil at the slightest inaccuracy in her reports.
American English
- Reviewers should not cavil about minor plot points and instead focus on the overall narrative.
- She cavilled that the margins were off by a millimeter.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in formal critiques of proposals: 'The board cavilled at the minor formatting errors rather than addressing the core strategy.'
Academic
Most common context. Used in philosophical or literary criticism to describe petty objections: 'Scholars cavil over the precise dating of the manuscript.'
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound deliberately formal or humorous.
Technical
Rare. Could appear in legal contexts: 'The defence counsel's cavils did not affect the substance of the evidence.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cavil”
- Using it as a synonym for serious criticism. Confusing it with 'cavalier'. Incorrect prepositions (e.g., 'cavil on').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a rare, formal word most often found in academic, literary, or legal contexts.
Yes, though less common. A 'cavil' is a trivial objection or criticism. Example: 'He raised a cavil about the font choice.'
'Criticize' is neutral and general. 'Cavil' specifically means to criticize for petty, unimportant reasons.
The most common are 'at', 'about', and 'over' (e.g., to cavil at the wording).
to raise trivial or frivolous objections.
Cavil is usually formal, literary, somewhat archaic in register.
Cavil: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkav(ə)l/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkævəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “not a cavil to be heard”
- “beyond cavil (meaning: indisputable)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CAVIng person who digs into trivial details. Or: CAVIL sounds like 'cavalry' - a petty attack on a minor point.
Conceptual Metaphor
CRITICISM IS A MINOR PHYSICAL PICKING (nitpicking, splitting hairs).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary implication of the word 'cavil'?