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

After bickering with Percy over her involvement in the mission, Thalia ultimately drives away from the scene. — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026

Establishment figures such as Jeffries and the party’s 2028 presidential candidates will need to grasp that the relationship between the DSA and the Democratic Party is not one of occasionally bickering siblings, but of parasite and host. — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026

Throughout the film, Elle and Tao alternately bicker and give each other the silent treatment over Elle’s plans to go to Berlin after graduation to pursue a career as an artist. — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

People like to bicker over the exact definition, but thru-hiking generally refers to backpacking a long-distance trail in a continuous fashion, often for weeks or months at a time. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 13 July 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