1. to make petty or unnecessary objections; to complain about trivial matters
Usage: present participle of cavil; often followed by 'at' or 'about'

1. characterized by making petty objections; inclined to find fault over minor details

Examples

• She was caviling about the restaurant's service when the food was actually excellent.
• Instead of caviling at every detail, he should focus on the bigger picture.
• His caviling attitude made it difficult for the team to move forward with the project.
• They spent the meeting caviling over minor wording changes in the contract.
• Don't cavil at the price—this product offers great value.
• Her caviling nature meant she rarely seemed satisfied with anything.
• He kept caviling about the schedule, even though it was reasonable.