Meaning & use
technicality
Last updated
A small, precise point or detail, especially one that determines the strict application of a rule or law.
See it in a sentence
The case was dismissed on a technicality after the police missed a filing deadline.
He won the argument on a technicality rather than on the actual merits.
A note on using this word
Often carries a slightly negative connotation, suggesting the outcome felt unfair even though it was procedurally correct.
Words with a similar meaning
loopholefine point
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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