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
Now that looks set to finally change as previous fractious relations between the two Asian giants finally begin to thaw.
—
Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Without an appropriate resolution to these challenges, a more fractious federal politics will take hold in India, hindering economic progress and, more significant, curtailing hard-won democratic freedoms.
—Yamini Aiyar, Foreign Affairs, 23 July 2025
But the majority on the fractious Apopka council brushed aside his concerns and voted 3-2 against his motion.
—Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2025
The relationship between writer and editor is fractious, tender, and ever-changing, with resentments and gratitude sloshing back and forth like a rooftop pool during an earthquake.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Without an appropriate resolution to these challenges, a more fractious federal politics will take hold in India, hindering economic progress and, more significant, curtailing hard-won democratic freedoms.
—Yamini Aiyar, Foreign Affairs, 23 July 2025
But the majority on the fractious Apopka council brushed aside his concerns and voted 3-2 against his motion.
—Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2025
The relationship between writer and editor is fractious, tender, and ever-changing, with resentments and gratitude sloshing back and forth like a rooftop pool during an earthquake.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
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Instead of a more contentious disagreement, which could have necessitated a final ruling from commissioner Roger Goodell, the two sides ultimately settled on an agreement to share the equity.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Elsewhere in the Bay Area, San Francisco Playhouse is wrapping up a one-person show that leads audiences to consider their feelings and beliefs about the profoundly contentious Israel-Gaza conflict, even though it’s mostly meant to be a personal story.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Fans used to seeing the Kansas City Chiefs star all suited up for football games or a night out with gf Taylor Swift may do a double take at the (literally) wild spread.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
13 Aug. 2025
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Historian Terry Bouton has argued compellingly that most of the framers, landholding elites, deeply mistrusted the mass of American countrymen, and saw democracy as a wild, unruly stallion that needed to be tamed.—
Matthew Redmond
August 13,
Literary Hub,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Long was considered an unusual (and controversial—keep reading) choice for the position.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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The conventional wisdom for arts leaders would be to produce crowd-pleasing plays and musicals that fill seats and avoid alienating potential audiences with controversial subject matter.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But New Delhi has been defiant, saying that Russian oil is necessary for the energy security of its 1.4 billion-strong population.—
Anna Cooban,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
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The character’s defiant self-possession would unnerve even a more contemporary patriarchy, and challenge family dynamics in any era.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The story follows Bárbara, rebellious and broke, who fakes her way into a convent for a private room and some peace—only to find herself on an unexpected spiritual journey.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
16 Aug. 2025
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The town’s rebellious spirit and dreamy beach backdrop attracted a who’s who in music, from Duke Ellington in the 1920s to Led Zeppelin, who skipped Woodstock in 1969 to play the Asbury Park Convention Hall.—
Jen Murphy,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Arab governments that for decades have been fierce advocates for the Palestinian cause are now facing criticism for their timid response to the extreme suffering in Gaza caused by Israel's war, risking a dangerous rift with their increasingly restive citizens.—
Mo Abbas,
NBC news,
13 Aug. 2025
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Advertisement Advertisement The Trump Administration brokered a cease-fire between Israel and Syria, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said on Friday, but some within the Administration have grown restive over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recalcitrance, Axios reported on Sunday.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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He was deported in 2015, after serving a six-year state prison term for convictions of inflicting corporal punishment, child cruelty, willful discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner and being a felon in possession of a firearm.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
13 Aug. 2025
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Distinguishing between honest errors and willful misconduct is key.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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There are ways to encourage tenants to be good neighbors without being unreasonable or punitive.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Aug. 2025
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As always, some people will argue that demanding more is unreasonable, that Palace are already punching above their weight.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
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