pettifoggery in a sentence
n.
📚 Grade Level: Grade 11, Grade 12
Definition
Pettifoggery refers to the practice of placing undue emphasis on petty or trivial details, often to obscure the main issue or to engage in dishonest argumentation.
Sample Sentences
- The lawyer's reputation was tarnished by his penchant for pettifoggery, focusing on trivial details rather than the merits of the case.
- In the heated debate, her opponents resorted to pettifoggery, arguing over semantics instead of addressing the real issues at hand.
- Despite his impressive credentials, the politician's pettifoggery during the campaign left many voters disillusioned.
- Critics accused the writer of indulging in pettifoggery, nitpicking minor errors rather than appreciating the overall narrative.
- The committee's lengthy discussions were often bogged down by pettifoggery, leading to frustration among the more decisive members.