fractious

adjective

frac·​tious ˈfrak-shəs 

1

: tending to be troublesome : unruly

a fractious crowd

2

: quarrelsome, irritable

a fractious political campaign

fractiously adverb

fractiousness noun

Did you know?

The Latin verb frangere means "to break or shatter" and is related to a few common words, which is evident in their meanings. Dishes that are fragile break easily. A person whose health is easily broken might be described as frail. A fraction is one of the many pieces into which a whole can be broken. But fraction also once meant "disharmony" or "discord"—that is, a "rupture in relations." From this noun sense came the adjective fractious.

Examples of fractious in a Sentence

The fractious crowd grew violent.

Recent Examples on the Web

Although his conservative flank has a lock on power, Roberts himself has less sway than ever over an increasingly fractious Court. — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

Trump has had a fractious relationship for some time with Lula's administration, which has opposed him on numerous policies, particularly in the Western Hemisphere regarding Venezuela and Cuba. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026

Known as a progressive voice on that often-fractious body, Chan is now looking to take her approach national in the rare opening for the congressional seat. — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026

For farming communities historically dependent on the coca industry, the initiative marks a shift away from years of fractious relations with the state. — Angie Acosta M, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

fract(ion) (in sense "rupture, discord, breach of the peace") + -ious (after captious, factious)

First Known Use

1714, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fractious

• factious

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