as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
viewers tune in to witness the weekly cross fire between the liberal and conservative commentators
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Recent Examples of cross fire
Unfortunately, the older teens (including Louise’s nemesis, Logan) have taken over the area for snowball fights, and the younger kids get caught in the cross fire.
—
Lillian Brown, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2024
The incident was the latest of several protests on campuses across the country by pro-Palestinian protesters in response to the war between Israel and Hamas and the killing of thousands of Palestinians caught in the cross fire.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2024
Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure that humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the cross fire.
—USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024
Their car escaped only because Gal pushed the driver’s head down to avoid being hit by the intense cross fire.
—David Harsanyi, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cross fire
Lillian Brown, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2024
The incident was the latest of several protests on campuses across the country by pro-Palestinian protesters in response to the war between Israel and Hamas and the killing of thousands of Palestinians caught in the cross fire.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2024
Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure that humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the cross fire.
—USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024
Their car escaped only because Gal pushed the driver’s head down to avoid being hit by the intense cross fire.
—David Harsanyi, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cross fire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cross fire
Noun
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By 2009, Cage was facing serious financial strain, including a dispute with the IRS over $6 million in unpaid taxes.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
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The statement notably excludes Anthropic, which has been in dispute with the Pentagon over guardrails for how the military could use its artificial intelligence tools.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
Noun
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At 20, he was arrested after a routine traffic stop turned into a violent altercation with police.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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The altercation between Avdija and Castle put an end to a frustrating day for the Trail Blazers, who lost Game 4 by 21 points after holding a 17-point lead at halftime.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As the quarrel turned physical, the woman pushed Smith to the ground, witnesses told police.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
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What followed was a benches-clearing quarrel between Miller, Sal Stewart and their respective teams, the dramatic conclusion to a two-day saga between the Giants and Reds featuring beanballs, cuss words and aggressive gesticulation.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The new controversy comes at a moment when the region is already grappling with internal divisions.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
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Branca's tenure, however, hasn't been without controversy.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But there were disagreements inside the administration over the wisdom of funding the bailout.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
2 May 2026
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But some Republicans shook their heads in disagreement.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2026
Noun
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The fight, though, kept getting delayed.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
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While Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first Black president and a global icon – having spent 27 years in jail for his role in the fight against apartheid – his wife Winnie, who was arguably just as instrumental in that fight, has been widely maligned.—
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
2 May 2026
Noun
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The victim told police Walton became enraged over not receiving a tip, leading to an argument.—
Stepheny Price , Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
2 May 2026
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During debate, DeSantis’s general counsel, David Axelman, argued that complying with prior court mandates risked acknowledging that race played a role in drawing districts, echoing legal arguments at the center of the Louisiana case.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
2 May 2026
Noun
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The 2026 women’s WWE Royal Rumble is wide open, and with no obvious potential winner, this year’s 30-woman battle royal could be laiden with surprises.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Another year, another round in the battle royal for streaming licenses.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cross fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cross%20fire. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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