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

Noun

In our old travel life, a closed highway might have triggered a stressful bicker-fest over a paper map. —Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 2 Apr. 2026

Yet the agency tasked with keeping Americans safe — one of the few responsibilities just about everyone agrees is appropriate for government — remains unfunded as Congress bickers over immigration politics. —Editorial Board, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2026

Verb

For those of us interested in governing and not bickering, this is a good thing. —Gail Slater, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026

The pair have famously bickered over the past 20 years. —Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 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