QUARRELING Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

quarreling

verb

variants or quarrelling

present participle of quarrel

as in bickering

to express different opinions about something often angrily the coach and the referee quarreled about whether the ball was in bounds

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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 quarreling Now might not seem the moment for Democrats to be quarrelling, but many of them believe that the only way to build the Party back up is to remake it. — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 17 May 2026 The lack of money has, at times, led to quarrelling between the services - most notably pitting the navy against the army and the Royal Air Force. — Ian King, CNBC, 22 Apr. 2026 Police said witness accounts indicate that the couple arrived at Zuri Hotel in Zanzibar on April 4 and had been quarreling frequently until the night of April 8, when hotel management separated them and asked McCann to move to a separate villa about a 10-minute walk away. — ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026 Her father, after quarreling with Antigone’s mother, locked her out of their house overnight, which led to a terrible accident. — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026 Lydon’s revelation comes after years of quarreling with guitarist Steve Jones, bassist Glen Matlock, and drummer Paul Cook. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2025 The family is reportedly quarreling over Princess Beatrice and Eugenie’s royal roles after their father Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had his titles taken away. — Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 13 Nov. 2025 The discovery was entirely by chance, and happened when an officer responded to Mirella's parents' residence after neighbors reported quarreling, per several outlets. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025 The political malaise risks metastasizing into an economic crisis because the quarreling political parties cannot agree on a way forward, such as passing a budget and addressing the country's alarming budget deficit and mounting national debt. — John Toher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for quarreling

Verb

Establishment figures such as Jeffries and the party’s 2028 presidential candidates will need to grasp that the relationship between the DSA and the Democratic Party is not one of occasionally bickering siblings, but of parasite and host.

— James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Several weeks back, Clark and White were caught bickering during a timeout huddle against the expansion Portland Fire.

— Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 June 2026

Definition of bickering

Verb

Earlier on Thursday, Paramount filed its opposition, arguing that the states are unlikely to prevail on their case and should not be granted a restraining order.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 17 July 2026
In 2013, the Surfrider Foundation sued Khosla’s LLCs, arguing that the Coastal Act required them to obtain a permit before restricting public access to the beach.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 16 July 2026

Definition of arguing

Verb

Global oil prices have climbed sharply since the US and Iran resumed fighting over a week ago, imperiling peace talks.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Some Republican election officials take a stand Republican election officials in a handful of states are among those fighting the DOJ’s demands.

— Bart Jansen, USA Today, 18 July 2026