altercate

verb

ˈȯl-tər-ˌkāt How to pronounce altercate (audio)
Definition of altercatenext
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
  1. bicker
  2. argue
  3. fight
  4. quarrel
  5. clash
  6. spat
  7. dispute
  8. brawl
Verb
  • Like law enforcement agents everywhere, they’re disposed to bickering about jurisdiction or pumping each other for off-limits information.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
  • While the boys bicker over stickball rules, old-timers Keith Hernandez, Willie Randolph and Tom Seaver argue from a stoop.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of bicker
Verb
  • Supporters of the plan, led by the Swiss People's Party, which includes members with pro-Russia leanings, argued that the government had gravitated too close to the European Union and NATO, particularly over Russia's war in Ukraine.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Lula, meanwhile, has argued for a more prominent role of the federal government in the fight against organized crime as well as greater coordination between governmental institutions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of argue
Verb
  • Kosovo has criticized the verdicts as unjust, maintaining that the KLA, which Thaci had led before entering politics, fought against Serbian oppression.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • His emphasis on fighting crime, his anti-left agenda and his confrontations with the Supreme Federal Court and Brazil’s political establishment directly appeal to issues that have mobilized Bolsonaro’s base for years.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of fight
Verb
  • Sunday, a caller reported hearing two men quarreling and someone stating that a person would be taken into custody.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • But for Benjamin Franklin, the Haudenosaunee’s federal governing model was a perfect solution for how to get quarreling colonies to work together.
    — Scott Baldauf, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of quarrel
Verb
  • Many celebrities these days have opted for a classic pump, something simple that doesn’t clash with the rest of their ensembles.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The administration and Anthropic clashed this year with Pentagon officials over the company’s effort to limit how the military could use its Claude technology.
    — Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of clash
Verb
  • Mulroney, Ackerman, Snow, and Newman turn this story of spatting WAGS into an explosive, addictive watch.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2025
  • Preparation has cultural and regional variations, but the seed is usually chewed with slaked lime and betel leaves, and chewing releases a red juice that's often then spat out.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2025
Definition of spat
Verb
  • During that trial, Reddington didn't dispute that Clancy killed the children at the family's home in 2023.
    — MICHAEL CASEY, Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Avila’s lawyer, Nancy Doumanian, previously disputed the judge’s tentative finding that there was insufficient evidence Avila had suffered permanent nerve damage.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of dispute
Verb
  • Latino culture typecasts hombres as eternal machos always a few drinks away from brawling or bawling.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Both trips include a stop at the town jail after brawling with the locals, albeit this time John’s the one behind bars instead of Hal.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of brawl
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

alterations
altercate
altercated
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Cite this Entry

“Altercate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altercate. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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