as in altercation
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
like any couple, they have their spats
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily
we tend to spat over money more than anything else
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of spat
Charlie Campbell, Time, 25 July 2025
The foreclosures started just before Trump’s Justice Department sued the state of Maine in April over its inclusion of transgender athletes in girls’ sports, part of a larger spat between Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
—ProPublica, 20 July 2025
Kareem Khadder, CNN, 4 Oct. 2023
The teenager first asked the hotel to forgive him, the lawsuit said, but soon flew into a rage, screaming that the hotel was antisemitic and that its employees spat in people’s food.
—Liam Stack, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for spat
Noun
Or even Uganda and Kenya’s spat over Lake Victoria’s Migingo Island, which is smaller than a football field.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 25 July 2025
The foreclosures started just before Trump’s Justice Department sued the state of Maine in April over its inclusion of transgender athletes in girls’ sports, part of a larger spat between Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
—ProPublica, 20 July 2025
Verb
The one charged with assault spat on a person, while the others spat towards people, police said to explain the different charges.
—Kareem Khadder, CNN, 4 Oct. 2023
The teenager first asked the hotel to forgive him, the lawsuit said, but soon flew into a rage, screaming that the hotel was antisemitic and that its employees spat in people’s food.
—Liam Stack, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for spat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spat
Noun
-
The department did not say how many shots were fired during the altercation.—
Craig Shoup,
Murfreesboro Daily News Journal,
1 Aug. 2025
-
The victim had told police that there had been an altercation earlier in the day that involved her son, and that she had been invited to speak with the family about the earlier incident, the report states.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Sunny and Ulla have a tendency to bicker, and each can resort to brandishing cultural stereotypes as a cudgel when arguing with the other.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
3 Aug. 2025
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That was the thing that gave us the ability to feel quite free in the scenes — not changing the words or changing the sense of the scene — but trust trying different things, having that bickering back and forth, finding that easygoing relationship between the two of them.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
Harvard’s quarrel with Trump is the extreme example: in March, the administration revoked the university’s ability to grant travel visas, though Harvard’s deal with the University of Toronto may circumvent this issue for now.—
Liz Doe Stone,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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The two quarrel over the Ukrainian leader’s outfit before trading jabs in the air with Trump firing a water gun at the Ukrainian president.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Though some have argued there are similarities in how Trump works as a statesman, in comparison to Reagan.—
Caitlin McFall,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Some animal rights groups argued the decision sets a dangerous precedent, including Bear Defenders, a campaign to oppose the expansion of bear hunting in Florida.—
Gordon Ebanks,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The notice comes in the midst of a broader legal dispute between Wilson and The Deb's producers.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Peter was working on Chime’s internal tools for managing customer support and disputes.—
Jeff Kauflin,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Following emancipation, Black families fought to reunite, underscoring the idea of family as foundational to their status as free people, as described by the National Museum of African American History and Culture.—
Grace Tucker,
The Enquirer,
13 Aug. 2025
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The stunt team and fight choreographers deserve tremendous credit as well.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Super Micro has faced significant controversy over the past year, including allegations of accounting irregularities, delays in SEC filings, and scrutiny from short-sellers.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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The controversy kicked off in June when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced its plans to resume using diquat and other herbicides to combat the spread of invasive hydrilla along the river.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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After a show of respect, John Cena and Cody Rhodes brawled like crazy.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
-
The men Danielson brawled with—Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, and Gabe Kidd—were all members or associates of the Blackpool Combat Club, a faction that Danielson himself founded alongside Moxley.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spat. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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