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
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
That might be fans getting to watch an athletic performance, or journalists having a chance to shine in front of a government administration that seeks to undermine them, or a fractious democracy celebrating its birthday.
—Juliette Kayyem, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fractious
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
That might be fans getting to watch an athletic performance, or journalists having a chance to shine in front of a government administration that seeks to undermine them, or a fractious democracy celebrating its birthday.
—Juliette Kayyem, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
-
Two questions about the wisdom of mandatory minimum sentences — a very contentious topic in legal circles — yielded only brief responses.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
-
With the primary season wrapping up across the country, the contentious race in Michigan is increasingly seen as a test case for where the party and its base are headed into the November election and beyond.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
From branches above her is released a sudden shower of ash keys, which flutter downwards, whirring in circles, until their wild flight is put to a stop by meeting the water’s surface, where they are apprehended and whisked away downstream.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
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Keeping in that spirit, small inn-like touches, including breakfast and common spaces (with a pool deck to come in 2025), make this a welcome new gathering place for the area sandwiched between the center of town’s climbing roses and some of the island’s most popular, wild beaches.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
The 2001-02 Kings finished 61-21 to clinch the top seed in the Western Conference and pushed the Lakers to a seventh game in one of the most controversial conference finals in NBA history, a series Kings fans still believe was rigged against them.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
-
University officials based the invites on opinion polls and a controversial campaign fundraising formula.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
After an exchange of fire earlier this week, Iran issued a defiant response accusing the US of violating the ceasefire.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
-
The Avs remained defiant in defeat, sounding a little too much like Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, clinging to flattering analytics during his team’s own conference-final sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Your 8th House of Shared Resources shifts as the moody Moon moves there, opposing rebellious Uranus in your 2nd House of Resources.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2026
-
In a culture obsessed with self-improvement, doing something badly and privately can feel almost rebellious.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Conflict monitors, now watching with alarm as Islamist militants capture territory and stage attacks in Mali, urge the administration to pay closer attention to the restive Sahel region and other hot spots.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
14 May 2026
-
The next national election does not have to be held until 2029, but a wipeout on Thursday could tip a restive Labour Party into revolt against its unpopular leader.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 May 2026
Adjective
-
There needs to be a willful investment in skills engagement.—
Prashant Darisi,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Tuesday, Brown showed exacerbation at what appears to be Boyne’s continuing and willful violation of court orders.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
Last year’s conference-final loss to the Florida Panthers — an ugly result for an overmatched roster that had spent the regular season outkicking its coverage, maximizing its performance and raising expectations to an unreasonable level — is on that ledger, too.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
That lingering inventory, which has drawn criticism from fans who believe the list prices are unreasonable, is a principal feature of the governing body’s ticket pricing strategy.—
Sara Germano,
Sportico.com,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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