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
Much of the story is driven by Anne and Ginny's complicated and fractious relationship, made even more fraught by the elephant in the room of Nick's estate and a brand new baby on the way.
—
Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 28 May 2026
The city’s population was diverse and fractious, with religious and ethnic groups who spoke Russian, Polish, Belarusian, German, Yiddish, and Hebrew, and often came to blows with one another.
—Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Over the weekend, statements from both sides have started to demystify the outcomes of a meeting that was largely about resetting the tone between the world’s top economies after a fractious year that drove both to the edge of decoupling.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
Fusty and fractious Professor Bullfinch is bludgeoned with a bust of Nathaniel Hawthorne in his office at Cromwell University, throwing the faculty into a tizzy and spurring Elizabeth Cutty, the university’s president, into covering the university’s backside.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 28 May 2026
The city’s population was diverse and fractious, with religious and ethnic groups who spoke Russian, Polish, Belarusian, German, Yiddish, and Hebrew, and often came to blows with one another.
—Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Over the weekend, statements from both sides have started to demystify the outcomes of a meeting that was largely about resetting the tone between the world’s top economies after a fractious year that drove both to the edge of decoupling.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
Fusty and fractious Professor Bullfinch is bludgeoned with a bust of Nathaniel Hawthorne in his office at Cromwell University, throwing the faculty into a tizzy and spurring Elizabeth Cutty, the university’s president, into covering the university’s backside.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
-
Republicans decry fraud while Democrats worry about hunger SNAP’s new rules remain contentious in Congress.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
-
This has proven to be a contentious change for myriad reasons.—
Ryan Whitwam,
ArsTechnica,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
Though the Guardians have a share of first place with the White Sox and a three-game cushion over the Athletics in wild-card positioning, the club is about to weather some significant time without José Ramírez or Chase DeLauter.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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Rosenthal and other salary cap critics point out that wild spending is no guarantee of success, and many clubs operating on a shoestring, like the Milwaukee Brewers, have found ways to win consistently.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Among them was a December 2024 lesson about Christmas that featured Zwarte Piet, or Black Pete, a controversial Dutch holiday character known as a helper to Santa Claus who is depicted with exaggerated, racist physical features — including large red lips.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
-
The Australian social media ban has been controversial, with American tech giants unsurprisingly reacting with alarm.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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As for his own future, Lapid remains defiant, even as sources of financing and festival platforms risk becoming scarcer.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
18 June 2026
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This is a book about hope — the stubborn, defiant belief that even after life breaks us open, light can still pour through the cracks.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
As a whole, the return of the Ninja 300 feels almost rebellious in today's motorcycle market.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 13,
New Atlas,
13 June 2026
-
Difficult teenage years with lots of poor decisions and rebellious behavior.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The design is done, restive partners are onboard, technical conundrums have been resolved, and the check just might be in the mail.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
8 June 2026
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The killings took place in Rigores, in the restive Bajo Aguan region of Honduras, where rival gangs have fought over control of palm farms and drug trafficking routes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The film, which details her life in Tehran as the willful daughter of intellectual Marxists, is a reminder that Iranians are just like everyone else, Satrapi told the Associated Press in a 2007 interview in Cannes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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The teenager was arrested for 12 counts of willful/malicious kill/maim/torture animal -- horse and three counts of felony malicious destruction of private property over $5,000, authorities said.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Stars may be moving from Dallas to Plano, but under no reasonable, or unreasonable, scenario will this move lead to their departure from Texas.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 June 2026
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However, investing in public institutions and infrastructure is a costly endeavor that can seem unreasonable when local officials are struggling to balance budgets without increasing tax burdens.—
Aneri Pattani,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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