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
As a Shiite-majority nation, Iran has long held fractious and even hostile relationships with Sunni jihadist actors.
—
Jacob Ware, Boston Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Amid the fractious national political environment, the Netflix-WBD deal has become a lightning rod for critics.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026
Their journey from a fractious dynamic and rocky road to fraternal camaraderie was rooted in the fact that Shawn grew up in poverty, facing constant adversity, while Jack grew up in a stable household without wants.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Feb. 2026
Politics in Chicago can be fierce and fractious.
—Scott Simon, NPR, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Jacob Ware, Boston Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Amid the fractious national political environment, the Netflix-WBD deal has become a lightning rod for critics.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026
Their journey from a fractious dynamic and rocky road to fraternal camaraderie was rooted in the fact that Shawn grew up in poverty, facing constant adversity, while Jack grew up in a stable household without wants.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Feb. 2026
Politics in Chicago can be fierce and fractious.
—Scott Simon, NPR, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
-
The incident occurred during a contentious period in Minneapolis when the city was the focal point of an immigration enforcement surge and after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal law enforcement.—
Jack Date,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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That strategy, known as windowing, became a more contentious issue after the pandemic when some studios began to reduce the amount of time films were in cinemas before audiences could view them at home.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Wong earlier shared wild video of the car takeover on social media showing multiple cars doing tire-screeching donuts near a ring of fire on the street, with a passenger in one car holding a large Palestinian flag out the window.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2026
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The area Life is decidedly unhurried in this part of the world, where the sunkissed monte landscape is punctuated by cork, olive, and oak trees, wild horses frolic in meadows, and huge granite dolmens hint at a pagan past.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
When Cuban refugees flooded Miami in 1980 after the Mariel boatlift, the county passed a controversial ordinance that largely banned the use of taxpayer money for programs conducted in languages besides English.—
David Ovalle,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2026
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And yet, there is worry that one of the new personalities might go rogue; do something that doesn’t adhere to an organization’s journalism standards; or, most challenging, do something controversial on their own platform that becomes associated with the mainstream news venue that employs them.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The applause after the final whistle on Tuesday night and the defiant chants of an appreciative Kop spoke to a gutsy performance against Paris Saint-Germain.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Iran trolls Trump about blockade Iran struck a defiant tone ahead of the blockade’s start.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The temperamental Moon activates your 3rd House of Communication, forming a supportive trine to rebellious Uranus in your 7th House of Companions.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The series picks up 15 years after the finale of The Handmaid's Tale, and follows Agnes and Daisy (Lucy Halliday), a rebellious newcomer.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Remarks are addressed to a restive crowd.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
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Already, Israeli strikes near Iran’s eastern frontier are fomenting instability in Pakistan’s restive province of Balochistan.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Late last year Rivera’s family filed a nine-count lawsuit against Baker, the city and CPD, alleging willful and wanton conduct, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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Price and Ramirez were charged with second-degree murder, willful harm or injury resulting in a child’s death, felony child endangerment and possession of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Indeed, because deportation is not considered a criminal matter, the constitutional provisions protecting those accused and convicted of crimes do not apply, including prohibiting unreasonable searches and seizures, providing a lawyer and requiring a jury trial.—
Erwin Chemerinsky,
Twin Cities,
8 Apr. 2026
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That has prompted constitutional concerns around the Fourth Amendment, which prevents unreasonable search and seizure.—
Lisa Hagen,
Hartford Courant,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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