fractious

adjective

Definition of fractiousnext
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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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fractious Still, this urgent, moving film is very much a work of its fractious era, when the time taken to see your opponent’s side might come at the expense of someone more worthy of grace. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026 Which means that intra-team dynamics can often get fractious. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026 The rules come after years of delay and fractious debates over affordability, landscaping and fire risk. — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 While sometimes fractious in the past, the Canadian federation of provinces is increasingly united in the face of international uncertainty. — Control Risks, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
  1. contentious
  2. wild
  3. controversial
  4. defiant
  5. rebellious
  6. restive
  7. willful
  8. uncontrollable
Adjective
  • But there are uncertainties ahead, including MLB labor negotiations, which will address the contentious question of a player salary cap and could result in a prolonged work stoppage in 2027.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But the series then gets to know people in depth, allowing for far more nuance than the contentious school board meetings.
    — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of contentious
Adjective
  • Rush’s musical complexity leaned towards proggy adventures with time signatures and song structure, while Steely Dan were more inclined to wedge wild stacks of jazz chords into pop songs.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Bears, wild pigs, mountain lions and coyotes were at the top of the list in California, according to the study.
    — Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of wild
Adjective
  • Because Sand has not served in a legislative capacity, he isn’t burdened by a controversial voting record on leftist policies, as is Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, who is also trying to flip a red state seat.
    — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
  • While many of the more contentious and controversial aspects of his life are presented in one-sided fashion, friend and former manager Rory Holloway’s still-raw sense of betrayal at Tyson firing his entire team is evoked with vivid irritation.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of controversial
Adjective
  • From men wearing pink to push back against the pressures of toxic masculinity to women pushing back against unrealistic body standards, pink has become a color of defiant empathy.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Hazlewood broke the defiant stand between Markram and Wiaan Mulder that started late Monday and endured for nearly two more hours on Tuesday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of defiant
Adjective
  • The shoes appeared similar to the popular DSquared 2 Riri heeled sandals, which are also a sleek, seductive and rebellious style with towering heels and straps that wrap around the foot and ankle with super-thin leather ties.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Suzanne’s kind of rebellious temperament brought a lucidity to that character.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebellious
Adjective
  • Pakistani security forces killed five militants in an intense shootout and freed 23 hostages in the country’s restive southwest, the military said Sunday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Midterm elections are historically challenging for a president’s party as restive voters seek change.
    — Steven Sloan, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of restive
Adjective
  • On Thursday, attorneys from Jablonska's estate were trying to get access to Stevenson's financial records for the civil case, and were seeking to amend their wrongful death lawsuit to allege willful and wanton conduct and pursue punitive damages.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Taylor was later found in willful contempt for violating their divorce terms and ordered to pay $70,000 to cover Shumpert’s legal fees.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of willful
Adjective
  • Elementary school students may have tantrums, be clingy, have toileting accidents, engage in uncontrollable crying or become less talkative as a result of changes in schools, homes and caregivers.
    — Nikki R Wooten, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
  • DeStefano kicked into a quasi-rock groove on acoustic guitar, and the guys launched into a chorus about shaking off uncontrollable hassles and restoring positivity.
    — Tom Roland, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of uncontrollable

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Cite this Entry

“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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