bicker

1 of 2

noun

bick·​er ˈbi-kər 

1

: petulant quarreling : altercation

2

: a sound of or as if of bickering

bicker

2 of 2

verb

bickered; bickering ˈbi-k(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to engage in a petulant or petty quarrel

bickering over money

2

a

: to move with a rapidly repeated noise

a bickering stream

b

: quiver, flicker

bickerer

ˈbi-kə-rər 

noun

Synonyms of bicker

Noun

• quarrel
• dispute
• disagreement
• fight
• altercation
• controversy
• argument
• squabble

Verb

• argue
• quarrel
• fight
• spat
• squabble

Examples of bicker in a Sentence

Noun

after a prolonged bicker, they finally managed to find a movie that both of them were interested in seeing

Verb

She is always bickering with her mother.

They bickered about how to decorate the room.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The two are fond but sick of each other, at times bickering with real melancholy and malice. — Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026

The two of them together, just 17 months apart, shared playlists, bickered over where to stop during Apple CarPlay calls, pulled up beside me and faded away with silly faces, encapsulating 20 years of my life in my rearview mirror. — Robert Duffer, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Like law enforcement agents everywhere, they’re disposed to bickering about jurisdiction or pumping each other for off-limits information. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026

While the boys bicker over stickball rules, old-timers Keith Hernandez, Willie Randolph and Tom Seaver argue from a stoop. — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English biker

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bicker

• dicker
• flicker
• kicker
• liquor
• picker
• quicker
• ricker
• sicker
• slicker
• snicker
• sticker
• thicker

Kids Definition

bicker

verb

bick·​er

ˈbik-ər

bickered; bickering

ˈbik-(ə-)riŋ

: to quarrel in an irritating way especially over unimportant things

bickerer noun