Definition of ALTERCATION

Recent Examples of altercation from the Web

Officers responded to a call about an altercation at the intersection of Marlborough Boulevard and Evergreen Street.

— jonece starr dunigan, AL.com, "Teen girl facing assault charge for allegedly stabbing another teen multiple times in Florence", 5 July 2017
Moore was drafted in the third round by the New York Giants in 2013 and played sparingly in his three seasons before an altercation with a teammate in the locker room led to a mid-season release in December 2015.

— kevin casas, star-telegram, "Cowboys newcomer Damontre Moore is accustomed to change", 3 July 2017
Fans have speculated that the altercation stemmed from issues Beyoncé would later address on Lemonade.

— chelsea stone, Glamour, "JAY-Z's '4:44' References Those Cheating Rumors, and Beyoncé's Beyhive Is Freaking Out About It", 30 June 2017
But while Rodriguez was often part of the show's altercations, Battle doesn't seem to be in the drama, which may be why he's had limited screen time.

— tracy swartz, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago CEO calls 'The Bachelorette' the 'single most revealing process of my entire life'", 26 June 2017
A 42-year-old woman is charged with unlawful use of a weapon in connection with an altercation that left her daughter dead in a Kansas City, North, apartment.

— glenn e. rice, kansascity.com, "Kansas City, North, woman faces weapons charge in daughter’s shooting death", 16 June 2017
Defense attorney Michael Ettinger said O'Connor was trying to control a volatile domestic altercation.

— matthew walberg, chicagotribune.com, "Ex-Joliet cop who hit woman multiple times found not guilty of using excessive force", 16 June 2017
Police video shows Mayfield walking, then trying to run away from police before being tackled by an officer following an altercation in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

— cliff brunt, The Seattle Times, "Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield won’t miss games after arrest", 15 June 2017
There was no evidence of an altercation, police said.

— katy moeller and dana oland, idahostatesman, "Two men injured in accidental shooting in Meridian expected to be OK", 14 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'altercation'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of altercation

see altercate

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

altercation Synonyms

Synonyms

argument, argle-bargle [chiefly British], argy-bargy [chiefly British], battle royal, bicker, brawl, contretemps, controversy, cross fire, disagreement, dispute, donnybrook, falling-out, fight, hassle, imbroglio, kickup, misunderstanding, quarrel, rhubarb, row, scrap, set-to, spat, squabble, tiff, wrangle

Related Words

clash, run-in, skirmish, tangle, tussle; logomachy; feud, vendetta; attack, contention, dissension (also dissention); debate, difference, disputation; fuss, objection, protest, protestation; affray [chiefly British], fisticuffs, fracas, fray, free-for-all, melee (also mêlée); catfight

Synonym Discussion of altercation

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

altercation