1
as in contentious
given to disagreement or irritation
At the end of what was a fractious campaign, the two former rivals were surprisingly able to settle some of their differences and work together.
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2
as in wild
difficult to manage or control
Security guards were overwhelmed by the fractious crowd at the concert.
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Recent Examples of fractious
Many who took the survey saw Goldberg-Polin as too moral to get involved in the rough and tumble world of Israel’s fractious political scene.
—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Now, Tveit adds, the musical feels more on the nose amid the current fractious political climate.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
Netanyahu’s party has continued to grow increasingly fractious, with hard-right members of his party threatening to bring down his government over any concessions made in the war against Hamas.
—Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
As minority leader, Caldwell will steer an at-times fractious caucus whose members are outnumbered nearly 2-to-1 by their Democratic colleagues.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Now, Tveit adds, the musical feels more on the nose amid the current fractious political climate.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
Netanyahu’s party has continued to grow increasingly fractious, with hard-right members of his party threatening to bring down his government over any concessions made in the war against Hamas.
—Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
As minority leader, Caldwell will steer an at-times fractious caucus whose members are outnumbered nearly 2-to-1 by their Democratic colleagues.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
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The permits that both companies have received to test and operate their self-driving vehicles became a contentious issue in the lead up to the listings.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
6 Nov. 2025
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The three faced off in two contentious debates in October, in which Mamdani and Cuomo sparred over issues of integrity and experience while Sliwa sought to paint them as two sides of the same ideological coin.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Seek out wild places and remember that your body is not made to be hacked or optimized but to connect you to the earth beneath your feet.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
11 Nov. 2025
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What’s even wilder, even more mind-blowing about this barrage of bricks?—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This loss had to be especially tough for the Jayhawks, considering a controversial holding call on KU changed the momentum of the game.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
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Watson’s combination of scientific achievement and controversial remarks created a complicated legacy.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Cushla’s world is full of defiant spirits, including her mother, a woman struggling with addiction who spends most of her days bound to her living room and the bottom of a bottle.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
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The mayor-elect was defiant in his victory speech.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Silicon Valley definitely has so much of that rebellious spirit.—
Andre Byik,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
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On Tracker, Ackles portrays Russell, Colter’s charismatic and rebellious older brother, who has a similar skill set and lack of stable home life.—
Katie Mannion,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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These political executions are a callous attempt by the authorities to frighten and silence an increasingly restive population no longer willing to accept their corrupt and oppressive rule.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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Labour MPs are becoming restive.—
Anand Menon,
Time,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Medical University of South Carolina was declared responsible for Fulcher’s death in the lawsuit, citing gross negligence and willful in violation of their duties, according to the outlet.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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Penalties can reach up to roughly $51,500 per violation, along with multiyear bans on new visa petitions for willful breaches, according to DOL enforcement guidelines.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Officers are able to use loitering laws as general warrants to circumvent individuals’ constitutional right to be protected from unreasonable searches and seizures, Wood said.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Nov. 2025
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The class counsel has argued that objectors are raising either points that were already decided, inappropriate for this forum, or unreasonable to address.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
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