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

For years, Pahlavi had presented himself as a unifying figure, in keeping with a tradition of Iranian kingship as the glue that had held the fractious Persian Empire together. —Azadeh Moaveni, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026

As a Shiite-majority nation, Iran has long held fractious and even hostile relationships with Sunni jihadist actors. —Jacob Ware, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026

As a Shiite-majority nation, Iran has long held fractious and even hostile relationships with Sunni jihadist actors. —Jacob Ware, Boston Herald, 20 Mar. 2026

Amid the fractious national political environment, the Netflix-WBD deal has become a lightning rod for critics. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 26 Feb. 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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