squabble

verb

squabbled; squabbling ˈskwä-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

: to quarrel noisily and usually over petty matters

squabbler

ˈskwä-b(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms of squabble

• bicker
• argue
• fight
• quarrel
• spat

Examples of squabble in a Sentence

The children were squabbling over the toys.

the children squabbled loudly over who got to play with the toy first

Recent Examples on the Web

Then there are the lesser houses, the lower fiefdoms squabbling over the crumbs that fall from the big kids’ table. —Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 14 May 2026

Clarity, short for Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, passed the House of Representatives last year but has faced setbacks in the Senate Banking Committee as banks and stablecoin companies squabble over the question of how and when rewards can be paid on stablecoin balances. —Jack Kubinec, Fortune, 13 May 2026

The squabbling brothers of the north west. —Ian Irving, New York Times, 3 May 2026

Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have also squabbled over who should have the jewel. —Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for squabble

• bauble
• cobble
• gobble
• hobble
• labile
• wobble
• cantabile

Kids Definition

squabble

1 of 2 noun

squab·​ble ˈskwäb-əl 

: a noisy quarrel usually over unimportant things

squabble

2 of 2 verb

squabbled; squabbling ˈskwäb-(ə-)liŋ 

: to quarrel noisily for little or no reason : wrangle

squabbler

-(ə-)lər 

noun