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
Noun
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Rounding out the top five names were seven write-in votes for the Sacramento Capitals or Capitols — which could be nicknamed the Caps to avoid quarrels over the spelling — and six votes for the Sacramento Stingers or Sting, referencing the collegiate Sacramento State Hornets.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2026 -
In a 2024 study, researchers found that chimpanzee mothers tended to step in to defend their children in quarrels—say, over food or space in a tree—in about half of cases the researchers observed in the wild.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
10 May 2026
Noun
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After initially dividing last month on whether to continue contracts that include two senior services providers that had engaged in disputes with the county, the OC Board of Supervisors agreed this week to extend the funding.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
11 June 2026
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Cleveland’s second term was dominated by an economic crisis, due to the Panic of 1893, along with labor disputes.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Noun
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Over the last few months, Taylor has been embroiled in a series of legal battles with Mortensen, first beginning in February with a pair of investigations by Utah police departments into allegations each made that the other acted violently during altercations that month.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
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Durso alleged that Valle was upset after the previous altercations and lost his cool when his friend’s vehicle was damaged by the crowd of youths who rocked and shook the vehicle Valle and his friends arrived in.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2026
Noun
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Though Helen and Erik have their disagreements during the planning process, the other two Magnolias are grappling with their own issues.—
Francesca Gariano,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
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Ken Griffin In one of the most notable disagreements so far, Mamdani and Griffin became entangled in drama after the mayor announced his new pied‑à‑terre tax proposal aimed at wealthier residents in the city.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Seven cage fights will be held on the White House grounds in honor of the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary – a day that also happens to be the president's 80th birthday.—
Danielle Kurtzleben,
NPR,
14 June 2026
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Trump has sought to tie Sunday’s event — which features seven fights running past midnight — to larger, months-long celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Noun
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Located opposite the balcony where King was shot, the museum’s new Legacy Experience focuses, with urgency, on the modern era, with its controversies over immigration and Black Lives Matter activism.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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And other controversies, like the war in Iran, have overtaken the immigration policy debate.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
9 June 2026
Noun
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Kennedy and his allies within the Republican Party and the wider movement behind them have consistently made three arguments as to why all of us should abandon vaccination.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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For England fan Steve Grant, the biennial arguments about the song’s meaning raise a smile.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Noun
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From what archaeologists gathered, the Roman villa garden featured a flowerbed enclosed in a courtyard with rows of packed ceramic pots, as per Ancient Origins.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
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At the waist, the rich fabric gathered to form rows of fine ruching that highlighted the intentional divide between the bodice and the skirt.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cross fires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cross%20fires. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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