Definition of ALTERCATION

Recent Examples of altercation from the Web

The Penguins, who grew more frustrated as the game went on, got into plenty of physical altercations with the Preds throughout the final period, with star players Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby spending time in the penalty box.

— hemal jhaveri, For The Win, "P.K. Subban on what Sidney Crosby said after Game 3: ‘He told me my breath smelled’", 3 June 2017
Jones after his latest arrest this offseason for an altercation at a downtown hotel.

— the associated press, The Seattle Times, "Bengals sign 2nd-round pick RB Joe Mixon", 2 June 2017
Police said the man did not touch the girl during the altercation, but warned residents to be on the lookout.

— lyndsay winkley, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Police release sketch of man who followed girl in Tierrasanta", 1 June 2017
Trout's father pulled into the parking lot, stops his Hummer and gets involved in the altercation.

— ruth ann krause, Post-Tribune, "Gary man facing murder charge", 30 May 2017
Sanchez did not witness the April 30 altercation, but was informed about it the following day.

— prescotte stokes iii, AL.com, "Alcohol, name-calling; led to brawl between in-laws", 30 May 2017
Three of the weekend homicides were the result of domestic altercations including one apparent murder-suicide, police said.

— katherine rosenberg-douglas, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago police cautious about lower Memorial Day shooting count", 29 May 2017
After the altercation, Gianforte’s campaign issued a statement blaming the reporter and the candidate stayed out of sight.

— Washington Post, "GOP holds onto Montana seat, yet both parties optimistic", 26 May 2017
But the episode in Montana, which sent Mr. Jacobs to the hospital for an examination, came on the heels of several other cases involving reporters and physical altercations, raising alarms among advocates for journalists.

— michael m. grynbaum, New York Times, "A Journalist Was Body Slammed, but Some Conservatives Want the News Media to Apologize", 25 May 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

First Known Use: 14th century

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