squabble

1 of 2

noun

squab·​ble ˈskwä-bəl How to pronounce squabble (audio)
: a noisy altercation or quarrel usually over petty matters

squabble

2 of 2

verb

squabbled; squabbling ˈskwä-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce squabble (audio)

intransitive verb

: to quarrel noisily and usually over petty matters
squabbler noun
Choose the Right Synonym for squabble

quarrel, wrangle, altercation, squabble mean a noisy dispute usually marked by anger.

quarrel implies heated verbal contention, stressing strained or severed relations which may persist beyond the contention.

a quarrel nearly destroyed the relationship

wrangle suggests undignified and often futile disputation with a noisy insistence on differing opinions.

wrangle interminably about small issues

altercation implies fighting with words as the chief weapon, although it may also connote blows.

a loud public altercation

squabble stresses childish and unseemly dispute over petty matters, but it need not imply bitterness or anger.

a brief squabble over what to do next

Examples of squabble in a Sentence

Noun frightened by noise of the squabble, the cat hid under the couch Verb The children were squabbling over the toys. the children squabbled loudly over who got to play with the toy first
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
And all without even a hint of a squabble over a suitcase. Jessica Burrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Feb. 2024 The View was a fitting place for Moreno to make the claim, as the show has long hosted infamous squabbles among its cohosts — including an iconic 2007 clash between Rosie O'Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck, which the show recently referenced during a mock Double Dare trivia game last week. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024 It’s frequently contrasted with the Eastside, which has produced L.A.’s only Latino mayor in modern times, two state Assembly speakers and a state Senate leader in an overwhelmingly Latino region — but only after decades, and in spite of endless squabbles. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 This is how the monument madness ends — with bureaucratic squabbles, the moral arguments, so-called, long since discarded. Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 27 Feb. 2024 Others were dishonest, incompetent or preoccupied with internecine squabbles. Thomas Gibbons-Neff, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2024 As their relationship intensifies, so do their missions, which bring life-or-death stakes to every squabble and rough patch. Reggie Ugwu, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2024 Exhaustion at home, squabbles among allies (the EU versus Hungary) and the paralysis in Congress have added to what is a bleak outlook. Frederik Pleitgen, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024 The film that audiences see on-screen — a bucolic domestic drama, filled with children, gardens, picnics, and daily rituals and squabbles — unfolds with quotidian ordinariness. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 16 Jan. 2024
Verb
Congress slapped it down, as lawmakers squabbled to reach an agreement on a temporary measure to keep the federal government's lights on. Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024 Brooks, 35, and Dr. Al Madani, 37, meanwhile, squabbled over parenting advice. Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 The two sides recently squabbled over who would support the striking auto unions in Michigan and raced to visit their picket lines. Desirée Leclercq, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2024 The Eastside, cradle of Latino politics, is squabbling once again In the cradle of Latino political power, rivalries are downright biblical. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 For decades, politicians, mental health professionals and patient advocates have squabbled incessantly over the obvious crisis. Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2024 To the point where lawmakers squabbling over government funding are provoking credit downgrades. William Pesek, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 The casting of Taylor and Burton, who could squabble with the best of them (and who married and divorced each other twice), only adds to the frisson. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024 No amount of planning can change the fact that families sometimes squabble, even as league rules demand unity. Ira Boudway, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'squabble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect skvabbel dispute

First Known Use

Noun

1602, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of squabble was in 1602

Dictionary Entries Near squabble

Cite this Entry

“Squabble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squabble. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

squabble

1 of 2 noun
squab·​ble ˈskwäb-əl How to pronounce squabble (audio)
: a noisy quarrel usually over unimportant things

squabble

2 of 2 verb
squabbled; squabbling ˈskwäb-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce squabble (audio)
: to quarrel noisily for little or no reason : wrangle
squabbler noun

More from Merriam-Webster on squabble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!