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
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Recent Examples of fractious
The battle between mother and child went on and on for weeks; not the least fractious were the violent discussions about personal pronouns.
—
Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Gutfeld's visit comes against the backdrop of a politically fractious moment in late-night.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
That Tajzadeh’s appeal bridges Iran’s fractious opposition was evident in the reaction to his most recent sentencing.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 8 Aug. 2025
Johnson emerged as an unlikely unity candidate—a low-profile figure with few enemies in a fractious conference.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Gutfeld's visit comes against the backdrop of a politically fractious moment in late-night.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
That Tajzadeh’s appeal bridges Iran’s fractious opposition was evident in the reaction to his most recent sentencing.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 8 Aug. 2025
Johnson emerged as an unlikely unity candidate—a low-profile figure with few enemies in a fractious conference.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
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Biglari’s proxy battles stand as one of the longest and most contentious activist campaigns in restaurant industry history.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
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However, his second run with the company came to an abrupt and reportedly contentious end just last week, as he was fired for what has been described as disciplinary reasons.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And best of all is the way its cocktail of growth factors, peptides, collagen amino acids, and wild yam extract comes together to bring baby cheeks–levels of plumpness to your skin.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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That cost them a chance to truly challenge the Phillies in the division and thrust them into a dogfight for the NL’s last wild-card spot.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As a public institution, UVU upholds First Amendment rights and fosters an environment where ideas – popular or controversial – can be exchanged freely, energetically, and civilly.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
15 Sep. 2025
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Despite her controversial inclusion at the event, Melnikova’s performances were met with robust cheers from the Parisian crowd.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But to Hollywood, Pusser’s defiant story was irresistible.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
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A day earlier, at his pre-match news conference, Pochettino sounded defensive and defiant.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The third book in the Luna Sisters series follows the journey to love for the youngest and most rebellious Luna sister, Gabriela.—
Mia Sosa,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
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Meanwhile, Gemma’s niece Cady (McGraw) is now 14, a rebellious teenager living under Gemma’s overprotective rules.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Beijing’s approach to Tibet parallels its efforts to control minority populations in other restive regions of China.—
Tenzin Dorjee,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Sep. 2025
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Just as the Kremlin sought to quell dissent against its vicious campaign in the restive republic, so, too, has a deafening silence accompanied its Ukraine folly.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Penalties can apply even if the omission wasn’t willful.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Maybe this willful disregard for someone’s wishes, particularly about their home, is part of some larger family dynamic.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Russia is trying to paint Ukraine as the unreasonable party in negotiations, Ferris said.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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Darryl Morin, national president of Forward Latino, a Latino advocacy group based in Franklin, Wisconsin, said the decision erodes Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure.—
Francesca Pica,
jsonline.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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