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
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Recent Examples of spat
Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025
The next day, Mills' office released a statement threatening legal action against Trump, who engaged in a verbal spat with Mills over the issue at a bipartisan meeting of governors later that day.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Liam Stack, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2023
South Carolina was on the east bank and Georgia on the west; the temperature was in the fifties, and gray clouds spat water in our faces.
—Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for spat
Noun
In recent days, Musk engaged in a public spat with White House trade adviser Peter Navarro.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025
The next day, Mills' office released a statement threatening legal action against Trump, who engaged in a verbal spat with Mills over the issue at a bipartisan meeting of governors later that day.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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
South Carolina was on the east bank and Georgia on the west; the temperature was in the fifties, and gray clouds spat water in our faces.
—Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for spat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spat
Noun
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Panthers center Sam Bennett, who had a contentious altercation with Marchand in Round 2 of the playoffs last year, said Marchand’s first message after being added to the team group chat was a chirp.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2025
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The footage shows an altercation between Perez and a man that officials say lasted for about 15 minutes before officers arrived on the scene.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Trump, who appointed Powell during his first term, has long bickered with the Fed chair over interest rates.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2025
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Laurie stormed off and had a bummer of a night, hanging out with Valentin and his grifter Russian buddies at a Muay Thai fight — and ultimately fleeing half-dressed from one of their angry girlfriends — while Jaclyn and Kate stayed behind and bickered some more.—
Noel Murray,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The quarrel escalated into a fight, and Hernandez was stabbed multiple times in the abdomen, cops said.—
Elizabeth Keogh,
New York Daily News,
18 Mar. 2025
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As the Venetians and the Ottoman Turks squabble over Cyprus in the background, the men before us quarrel over everything—a woman, a job, a handkerchief.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Mills argued the clause blocks the lawsuit because the Federal Tort Claims Act directs federal judges to interpret the merits of this type of case based on state law.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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Those sanctuary jurisdictions argue that collaborating with ICE would drain their resources, and undermine trust between police and immigrant communities.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Book dispute is one of three religious rights cases The case is one of three religious rights cases the Supreme Court is deciding in the coming weeks, and appears likely to be part of a recent trend of the court siding with religious rights advocates.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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Besides brokering negotiations for private employers, the mediators handle worker grievances; train joint labor-management committees; appoint arbitrators if a dispute cannot be resolved; and assist with negotiation impasses in the federal sector.—
Los Angeles Times,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In the final season of the Emmy-winning drama series, June will fight to take down Gilead with Luke and Moira joining the resistance, per Hulu.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2025
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No medication cures measles, only time and the hope that a child’s body can fight it.—
Dan Sweeney,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Now, with the controversy behind him, Benn has the opportunity to finally face Eubank in the ring.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Despite the controversy, for the Hilton, that doesn't change the imperative to serve.—
Major Garrett,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The troubles escalated in 2023, when patients brawled, a patient was raped by his roommate and another patient died under suspicious circumstances.—
Katie Mettler,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Apr. 2025
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Read the interview » J. D. Vance brawls with the Catholic Church.—
Ian Crouch,
The New Yorker,
12 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spat. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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