BICKER Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

bicker 1 of 2

noun

ˈbi-kər

Definition of bicker

as in quarrel

an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions after a prolonged bicker, they finally managed to find a movie that both of them were interested in seeing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

bicker

2 of 2

verb

as in to argue

to express different opinions about something often angrily if you two don't stop bickering about where to go to eat, we're not going out at all!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of bicker

Verb

Still bloody in last night’s clothing, the two fill a cart with candy and bicker contentedly about the state of the candy industry—arguably also a wink at the state of film. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 10 Aug. 2026 Back at the base, the team is still bickering with the other troopers. — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2026 Establishment figures such as Jeffries and the party’s 2028 presidential candidates will need to grasp that the relationship between the DSA and the Democratic Party is not one of occasionally bickering siblings, but of parasite and host. — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026 Throughout the film, Elle and Tao alternately bicker and give each other the silent treatment over Elle’s plans to go to Berlin after graduation to pursue a career as an artist. — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bicker

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bicker

Noun

The overtones of social significance are adroitly handled and make real sense in an era of tragic international quarrels.

— THR Staff, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
Unlike Christian priests and medicine men, who generally command respect, rainmakers are sometimes seen as malicious people who retaliate against whole communities for quarrels with their neighbors.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of quarrel

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

Noun

To join the plan, each one had to check a box, agreeing to use arbitration to settle any dispute.

— Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Bracing for a ‘wave of disputes’ Take-or-pay contracts have their origins in the energy sector, where long and capital-intensive production timelines justified a similar legal ultimatum.

— Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of dispute

Noun

The organization believes some of these conversations and disagreements among board members are drawing time and attention away from students, many of whom are Hispanic and come from Spanish-speaking backgrounds.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
The disagreement came as Zambia was seeking to attract more investment into its copper and other critical-minerals industries while maintaining longstanding economic ties with China and developing closer commercial relations with the US.

— Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of disagreement

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

Noun

Police have launched a homicide investigation after a man died from injuries suffered in an altercation that was initially reported as a possible strong-arm robbery, a police spokesman said.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
To illustrate Daniel’s progress, Shaikh recounted an altercation Daniel had while leading a Friday evening prayer service in jail.

— Jeff Winter, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of altercation

Verb

Later in the day, on the other hand, the artificial grass was hardly visible under the beach towels, and there were parents with squabbling children doing cannonballs into the pool.

— Elvira Navarro, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
There were the two seen squabbling with Jackie last month, another Shadow batted out of the nest before Luna and Sandy left and now eaglet KD1 is making her presence known.

— Joy Benedict, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of squabble

Browse Nearby Words

bichrome

bicker

bickered

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bicker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bicker. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bicker

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

epistemic

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes