as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily
this discussion is so silly we might as well altercate on how many angels can dance on the point of a needle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for altercate
Verb
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At the time of the invite, Congress was furiously bickering over a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill, as Democrats refused to allocate funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026 -
Pointing to elk heads mounted on the wall, the two jokingly bickered over who had bowhunted which.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Steyer argued that California should restructure the market and expand alternative fuel sources, including importing refined fuel if necessary.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
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The case was originally set in Wise County but later moved to Tarrant County after defense attorneys argued for a change of venue, saying the defendant wouldn’t receive a fair trial in Wise County.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Like there was a demon in his lungs, fighting the last bit of banishment.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
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She was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa — an eye disease that causes vision loss — and lupus, a disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy tissues and organs instead of fighting germs, according to court records.—
Chase Jordan
April 10,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Budapest, which has quarreled with its EU partners over support for Ukraine and Russian oil deliveries, has also blocked a 90 billion euro ($103 billion) loan as Kyiv runs low on cash.—
Lorne Cook,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
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Last year, the Legislature didn’t finalize its budget until two weeks before the annual budget cycle ended because the House and Senate quarreled over how to close a $4 billion spending gap.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The stakes extend far beyond Hungary Hungary is a member of both the European Union and NATO, but Orbán has often clashed with Western allies over rule-of-law concerns and relations with Russia.—
Nick Spicer,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
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Still, emotions could fluctuate later in the afternoon when the moon clashes with expansive Jupiter in Cancer.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Callie and Arizona: Another couple spatting over kids.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2025
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Mulroney, Ackerman, Snow, and Newman turn this story of spatting WAGS into an explosive, addictive watch.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The judge said Couvrette and Brigandi failed to dispute that evidence in court.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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Players and umpires can get a definitive answer when a call is disputed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On April 3, after UCLA defeated University of Texas in the Final Four, Close apologized to the fans in an ESPN interview about how the two teams brawled over each point.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
5 Apr. 2026
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Massive crowds were packed shoulder-to-shoulder, dancing wildly, brawling and turning the shoreline into a scene of disorder right before multiple gunshots sent thousands sprinting in panic.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Altercate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altercate. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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