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
Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Musk, whose record $56 billion pay package was in legal limbo in Delaware, relocated Tesla's incorporation out of state during the spat.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 1 May 2026
Julia Frankel The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2023
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
See All Example Sentences for spat
Noun
Thomas didn’t want Taylor to go, partly because of his recent spat with Pouncey.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Musk, whose record $56 billion pay package was in legal limbo in Delaware, relocated Tesla's incorporation out of state during the spat.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 1 May 2026
Verb
Israeli media reported that coalition lawmaker Simcha Rothman had joined a Sukkot march during which ultra-Orthodox Jews spat at churches.
—Julia Frankel The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2023
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
See All Example Sentences for spat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spat
Noun
-
Charles Melton plays an American GI named Private K who’s trying to locate his daughter and keeps getting into bloody altercations.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 May 2026
-
The argument escalates into a physical altercation, with the two characters coming to blows in the middle of the newsroom.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Whereas The Late Show’s prior steward, David Letterman, was happier to playfully bicker with guests, his successor took a surprisingly heady path.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
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Since then, showrunner Tim Minear and the rest of the writers have played up the actors' natural chemistry, playing into both the characters' bickering dynamic and their willingness to do anything, including risking their lives, for one another.—
Sabienna Bowman,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
With the indictment now dismissed, the administration could argue there are fewer procedural barriers preventing another removal effort, though Xinis still retains authority over the injunction dispute unless the 4th Circuit intervenes.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
22 May 2026
-
Prosecutors argued that Daniel Sikkema orchestrated the killing from New York amid a bitter divorce and custody dispute involving the couple’s son.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Anyone seriously arguing now that money wasn't a major or even the decisive factor here?—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
19 May 2026
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At the civil trial, plaintiffs argued Parker failed to properly investigate the reports of the gun.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Noun
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In a 2024 study, researchers found that chimpanzee mothers tended to step in to defend their children in quarrels—say, over food or space in a tree—in about half of cases the researchers observed in the wild.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
10 May 2026
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As the trio quarrels, bonds and ventures through the wild unknown, Felix discovers that true bravery may change not only his own destiny, but also the future of his home.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
10 May 2026
Verb
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The city’s directors have apparently decided that if crowns are going to be fought over, audiences might as well sweat a little, too.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
22 May 2026
-
Ada County Sheriff Matt Clifford, who fought against mandatory ICE cooperation legislation this spring, is now preparing to voluntarily sign a 287(g) agreement for the warrant service officer program with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.—
Chadd Cripe. Produced with AI assistance,
Idaho Statesman,
22 May 2026
Noun
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The result was a work that never managed to find a coherent point-of-view, which didn’t prevent it from taking in a decent $7 million at the local box office, or from stirring up controversy.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
20 May 2026
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The controversy centers on campaign finance violations tied to the New Georgia Project, an organization devoted to voter registration and civic engagement founded by Abrams.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
This game is the ultimate in brawling adventure.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
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The weird thing is that Becerra does know how to brawl.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spat. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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