as in quarreled
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!
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Recent Examples of bickered
Jokic and Oklahoma City’s players had bothered each other and bickered all night.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2026
The actors jokingly bickered about their history with the ceremony, with Cheadle remarking that Clooney hadn’t won since 2026 winner Timothée Chalamet was 3 years old.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Jan. 2026
On 33 occasions since 2017, Congress has been forced to pass emergency extensions to the flood insurance program, as lawmakers bickered over budgets and looming shutdowns threatened to disrupt it, according to a letter the National Association of Realtors sent to Congress ahead of the shutdown.
—Rukmini Callimachi, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
In recent years, the companies have bickered about the rise of streaming services, in which the media companies are investing billions of dollars and which lure away cable and satellite customers.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
Communists and socialists bickered over doctrine and orthodoxy.
—Kornel Chang
september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
During the squabble, Darcey and Georgi bickered about the communication issues impacting their relationship, leaving Georgi’s parents Ginka and Ivan concerned about how healthy their son’s relationship was.
—Abigail Adams, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2026
The actors jokingly bickered about their history with the ceremony, with Cheadle remarking that Clooney hadn’t won since 2026 winner Timothée Chalamet was 3 years old.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Jan. 2026
On 33 occasions since 2017, Congress has been forced to pass emergency extensions to the flood insurance program, as lawmakers bickered over budgets and looming shutdowns threatened to disrupt it, according to a letter the National Association of Realtors sent to Congress ahead of the shutdown.
—Rukmini Callimachi, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
In recent years, the companies have bickered about the rise of streaming services, in which the media companies are investing billions of dollars and which lure away cable and satellite customers.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
Communists and socialists bickered over doctrine and orthodoxy.
—Kornel Chang
september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
During the squabble, Darcey and Georgi bickered about the communication issues impacting their relationship, leaving Georgi’s parents Ginka and Ivan concerned about how healthy their son’s relationship was.
—Abigail Adams, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bickered
Verb
-
Instead of bold action, English said, European leaders have quarreled over internal divisions and rivalries.—
Gavin J. Quinton
March 10,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
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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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
-
The district argued there was another year left before there were five failed ratings in a row, but the judge panel struck down this argument, among others.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Although the Bucks fought their way back into the game multiple times and prevented the Heat from running away with the game, Miami never trailed.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Prior to the calamitous war following the attacks of October 7, 2023, Israel fought five wars with Hamas, between 2008 and 2021.—
Bernard Avishai,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Democrats and Republicans clashed bitterly over the issues last week as hundreds of concerned parents and advocates traveled to the state Capitol complex to oppose the measures in front of three different committees on the same day.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Two groups of supporters of Rennes and Lille had clashed Saturday night on the eve of the match.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The founders squabbled 11 years more over the Constitution, and states took another two years to ratify it.—
Jackie Calmes,
Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Personalities from the stations have squabbled over the years, like rappers signed to labels with similar wares but diverging agendas.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Rose then brawled with another user who accused the ambassador of interfering in Polish politics.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Enter Stephanie Vaquer, who fought off Rodriguez as the two brawled into the crowd for the second brawl in the first hour of the show.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bickered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bickered. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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