ALTERCATE Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

altercate

verb

ˈȯl-tər-ˌkāt

Definition of altercate

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for altercate

Verb

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
Kimmel and Damon then bicker over who has a rightful paternal claim to the child, culminating in a pitch-perfect spoof of Maury featuring Short as Povich.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of bicker

Verb

One controversial second of game clock later, Michigan fans were swarming the field to celebrate a Hail Mary that many impartial observers argued shouldn’t have happened.

— Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Gates argued that government and civil society need to move much more quickly.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of argue

Verb

The fourth plane was headed for Washington, officials concluded, but the aircraft went down in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew members stormed the cockpit and fought the hijackers.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
San Francisco must now fight the effects of trying to reset those body clocks back to Pacific Time ahead of the final 16 games, and perhaps that’s Los Angeles’ edge in never changing at all.

— Nate Atkins, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of fight

Verb

There’s an assumption that the second half is Shakespeare’s, but scholars continue to quarrel over attribution.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
In Krisevich’s case, Konovalova repeatedly quarreled with the artist and his wife until the couple ultimately escaped Russia in December 2025.

— Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of quarrel

Verb

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, has stood by the Pennsylvania senator as he's repeatedly clashed with his fellow Democrats on the Iran war and other major issues.

— Jay Stahl, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
The sun in Virgo will clash with Saturn retrograde in an awkward alignment, making our practical, day-to-day responsibilities seem more burdensome than usual.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 5 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

When approached for comment by The Athletic, DHS disputed Pourrain’s claims about the facility’s conditions.

— Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Israel argues that the territory is disputed rather than occupied, and asserts that Jews have a historical right to the land.

— Reuters, NBC news, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of dispute

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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Altercate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altercate. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of altercate

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

shofar

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes