captious

American  

[kap-shuhs] / ˈkæp ʃəs /

adjective

1. apt to notice and make much of trivial faults or defects; faultfinding; difficult to please.

   Synonyms:

   testy, picky, niggling, carping

2. proceeding from a faultfinding or caviling disposition.

   He could never praise without adding a captious remark.

3. apt or designed to ensnare or perplex, especially in argument.

   captious questions.

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captious British  

/ ˈkæpʃəs /

adjective

1. apt to make trivial criticisms; fault-finding; carping

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Other Word Forms

• captiously adverb
• captiousness noun
• noncaptious adjective
• noncaptiously adverb
• noncaptiousness noun
• overcaptious adjective
• overcaptiously adverb
• overcaptiousness noun
• uncaptious adjective
• uncaptiously adverb
• uncaptiousness noun

Etymology

Origin of captious

1350–1400; Middle English capcious < Latin captiōsus sophistical, equivalent to capti ( ō ) a taking, hence, sophism ( caption ) + -ōsus -ous

Example Sentences

But when the two reconvene, there is no talk of favors or captious admonishments, only the authentic joy of seeing a friend’s familiar face after so long.

From Salon

Warren concluded with a scathing diagnosis of the Adams correspondence with her as a scattered series of verbal impulses and “the most captious, malignant, irrelevant compositions that have ever been seen.”

From Literature

Georgiana, who had a spoiled temper, a very acrid spite, a captious and insolent carriage, was universally indulged.

From Literature

“I do not want to be captious, but desire the public to understand the facts,” Baker told The Washington Post.

From Washington Post

“I wish you’d learn to put the caps back on things properly when you’re finished using them,” she said in a tone she fully meant to sound captious.

From Literature