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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wild
difficult to manage or control
Security guards were overwhelmed by the fractious crowd at the concert.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
For those who, against all evidence to the contrary, dismiss these ambitions as mere delusions, that's exactly what the British Empire—the mightiest global force of its day—said when 13 fractious colonies issued the Declaration of Independence almost 250 years ago this July.
—
John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
The American military presence in Asia is seen by allies as a critical counterbalance in a fractious region where China has been rapidly expanding its military might and a belligerent North Korea has been empowered by closer ties with Russia.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
Things aren’t so fractious now, but generally players still like to keep their distance from one another, typically spending their time at tournaments with their entourages.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Alliances are tested and fractious rebels rarely see eye-to-eye.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
The American military presence in Asia is seen by allies as a critical counterbalance in a fractious region where China has been rapidly expanding its military might and a belligerent North Korea has been empowered by closer ties with Russia.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
Things aren’t so fractious now, but generally players still like to keep their distance from one another, typically spending their time at tournaments with their entourages.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Alliances are tested and fractious rebels rarely see eye-to-eye.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
-
This is a flawed sin; trying to make something happen in a contentious area with a bunch of people who had their own history.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
18 May 2025
-
On contentious problems like TikTok’s status in America, Trump has already bucked political orthodoxy, delaying a ban repeatedly to convince China to allow its sale.—
J. Tedford Tyler,
Time,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
The duo embark on a series of wild misadventures, with Turk’s extreme coaching tactics pushing Bob into increasingly unpredictable and outrageous situations.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
9 May 2025
-
Choose from a variety of wild Alaskan crab legs or domestic crab claws.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
Fifty years ago on April 30, 1975, the Vietnam War ended with North Vietnamese troops taking Saigon, bringing an end to what had been America’s most controversial war.—
Stan Godlewski,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2025
-
After the Oilers’ Evander Kane tied the game on a controversial goal, Hiller challenged the call, claiming goalie interference.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2025
Adjective
-
The defiant message comes after weeks of intense news coverage and a Republican House committee investigation into Hope Florida and its nonprofit charity arm, the Hope Florida Foundation.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2025
-
For weeks, Chinese officials had projected a defiant position, demanding the US remove all tariffs on China before agreeing to come to the negotiation table.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
12 May 2025
Adjective
-
Still, Adams failed to outright ask the most important questions: Were Canadians ever willing to join the rebellious Thirteen Colonies?—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
12 May 2025
-
Libra: Marge Simpson from The Simpsons Only a Libra mother could calmly and miraculously put up with the shenanigans that her three rebellious children cause.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
Tuesday's attack was the worst assault in years targeting civilians in the restive region that has seen an anti-India rebellion for more than three decades.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Pakistan denied involvement and accused India of trying to deflect attention from security lapses in the restive region.—
Salman Masood,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
As leaders of the lo-fi indie rock sound, the musicians remained something of a secret passed among fans, their air of willful inscrutability, ambivalence toward conventional success and general irreverence inspiring a dedicated faithful that has only grown over the years.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2025
-
Reasonable limits on liability • Exclusions for gross negligence or willful misconduct Tip: Always read these clauses carefully and ask your attorney to explain them in plain English.—
Stephen Nalley,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
In a unanimous opinion, the justices said courts can look beyond the exact moment a police officer is using deadly force to determine if the force was unreasonable.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
-
Given the high degree of regulation and data privacy concerns within our industry, this isn’t an unreasonable question, to say nothing of the cost of bespoke software solutions.—
Tom Hughes,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share