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 Albanese and lawmakers from across the political spectrum spoke to media outlets Tuesday, urging their colleagues, reporters and the public to turn down the heat in increasingly fractious political debates. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 Tensions in the street are contributing to fractious politics ahead of a presidential race overshadowed by debt that will determine Emmanuel Macron’s successor. — Ellen Francis, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2026 When daily life can feel quite bruising and fractious, documentaries skillfully encourage us to let our guard down and connect with real-life stories and people… sometimes challenging, often invigorating, and always meaningful. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026 Hochul has mended her once-fractious relationship with progressives in NYC and statewide, a key of the Democratic coalition, and has forged a close partnership with Mayor Mamdani after years of tension with ex-Mayor Eric Adams. — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 14 Oct. 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
  • Skip to Main Content Concert Review The first of a historic five-night run at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was contentious and confounding.
    — DeAsia Paige, AJC.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The Ravens, meanwhile, are 4-4 and sit at the bottom of a contentious AFC North.
    — Jason Cohen, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of contentious
Adjective
  • Unpacking Meta's wild week Meta delivered a strong third quarter Wednesday evening, but worries about negative free cash flow and its AI spending needs upstaged strong guidance and a promising roadmap for its viral Muse AI agent.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The film is a wild, frequently grotesque spectacle that careens between horror, action, slapstick, and black comedy.
    — Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of wild
Adjective
  • Labrador, a controversial figure, outraised Hickman by hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the Idaho Secretary of State Office’s website.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 4 Nov. 2026
  • California voters decided on 14 measures on their ballot, ranging from the controversial — like the billionaire’s tax and tighter deadlines on environmental permitting — to the unchallenged — like the housing affordability bond.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of controversial
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, negotiating with Uber and DoorDash takes time, money, and lawyers, and though those repercussions might show up eventually, and maybe even prove effective, e-bike cowboys are getting bolder, faster, and more defiant by the day.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2026
  • As disturbing as the ordeal was, the 89-year-old remains defiant.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of defiant
Adjective
  • With its choppy layers, tousled texture, and extra length at the nape, this wolf cut brought a rebellious twist to her usual regal aesthetic.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The selection also features Dutch director Sabine Lubbe Bakker’s Premier Souffle, exploring whether a rebellious outsider can find her place in the world after years of isolation from her community.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebellious
Adjective
  • Mattel thwarted restive shareholders by inviting one of them to come inside and play.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of restive
Adjective
  • At what point does separating the art from the artist become an exercise in willful amnesia?
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The smaller company won, with a jury determining willful infringement and a district court granting a permanent injunction preventing further sales.
    — Coke Morgan Stewart, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of willful
Adjective
  • For a time the sea stars did double duty controlling the urchins, but in recent years they have been struck down by an uncontrollable plague, worsened by the state’s warming waters, called, quite literally, sea star wasting disease.
    — Joseph Ogilvy, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
  • While some stress factors are uncontrollable, workplace stress directly hurts productivity.
    — Jon Lowe, Forbes.com, 26 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 7 Nov. 2026.

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