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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Jokic and Oklahoma City’s players had bothered each other and bickered all night.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2026 -
Her grandparents are constantly bickering, worn down by the pressures of keeping the family hotel afloat.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And the prosecutors argued that Lauer’s decision to wait eight years after the initial FBI raid to enter a guilty plea should result in a longer sentence.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
10 Mar. 2026
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Those results ran afoul of the Club World Cup’s multi-ownership rule, Alajuelense argued.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The meetings come as the Republican administration seeks to leverage military assets to restore dominance in the hemisphere while now also fighting a war in Iran.—
JOSHUA GOODMAN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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These are people who fought alongside American troops during our last forever war.—
Shawn Vandiver,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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The three bills also are not the first headline-grabbing action from Schroer, who serves as chair of the Senate’s hard-right Freedom Caucus, which frequently quarrels with GOP leadership.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At the 2022 Qatar World Cup, for example, before a game against Wales, fans supporting the Iranian government clashed with those protesting against the regime.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
6 Mar. 2026
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That comes after the Department of Defense clashed with Anthropic in recent weeks over how the agency can use its AI models.—
Nur Hikmah Md Ali,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 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 pact does not directly address complaints of unhappy policyholders who say Lara’s administration has failed to hold State Farm accountable, which the insurance department has disputed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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The Mavs’ petition seeks injunctive relief and finality on a breach of contract dispute the Mavericks raised in October 2024.—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This fuels an insatiable anger and bloodlust in Baldur, who favors a brawling fighting style that blends his immense power with the raw impact of his fists.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Feb. 2026
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Workers in stores next to the 7-Eleven said arguments and fights were common at and around the convenience store — particularly among a few local homeless men who brawl over who gets to open the door for customers.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
22 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Altercate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altercate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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