cross fires

noun

plural of cross fire
as in quarrels
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions viewers tune in to witness the weekly cross fire between the liberal and conservative commentators

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cross fires
  1. quarrels
  2. disputes
  3. altercations
  4. disagreements
  5. fights
  6. controversies
  7. arguments
  8. rows
Noun
  • On the new series, some House of Stassi castmembers raised their quarrels with Maloney joining their cast.
    — McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Candi is the family mediator Like any father-daughter coaching dynamic, Corey and Coco have had their fair share of quarrels on the tennis court.
    — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026
Definition of quarrels
Noun
  • Gilbertson’s involvement in the ports grew out of a series of chaotic mergers that in the 1990s led to endless disputes among shippers and the railroads about whose cargo would move first.
    — John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Trump declined to endorse Thune for a future term as leader amid disputes over passing the SAVE America Act and eliminating the filibuster.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of disputes
Noun
  • After marching from Crocker Park in downtown Sacramento, the protest groups engaged in verbal and physical altercations across a barricade formed by law enforcement officers.
    — Hannah Ruhoff, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Simple assault are altercations and incidents that don’t involve weapons or serious injuries, including domestic incidents.
    — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • For example, in Ozaukee County disagreements near Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve have prompted discussion of permanent signs and a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources determination establishing the ordinary high-water mark.
    — Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Between small celebrations, hospital visits and disagreements about how to care for her, a mysterious presence of bulls begins to surround the house.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of disagreements
Noun
  • In a few boss fights, the battles can suddenly change into a completely different format.
    — George Yang, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • While clearing mobs of enemies can be fun, the combat really shines during the game’s many boss fights.
    — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of fights
Noun
  • And the other is that paper receipts are a ~$5B business, complete with their own lobby groups and health controversies.
    — HubSpot, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026
  • There are several films that can start controversies or, at the very least, provoke very strong political reactions.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of controversies
Noun
  • The judge issued his ruling at the conclusion of a court session Tuesday, which continued the preliminary hearing that was largely held over a week in early July before a nearly two-month recess to prepare for closing arguments.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2026
  • While the class was divided between protectionists and free-traders, the teacher gave no indication of his own views, and the textbook presented objective facts along with arguments from both sides.
    — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of arguments
Noun
  • But now, the walkway beyond it guides visitors past rows of photographs.
    — Amir Vahdat, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Richard Olenick and Juan Mejia were more than halfway through the flight when a man two rows behind them in the first-class section started to become belligerent, Olenick said.
    — Taylor Galgano, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of rows
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

cross fire
cross fires
cross-grained
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Cite this Entry

“Cross fires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cross%20fires. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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