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
Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 18 Jan. 2026
Under the previous administration, ties between Canada and China all but collapsed following the 2018 extradition spat involving a senior Huawei executive.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 17 Jan. 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
Europe is not exactly staying out of another trade spat, either.
—Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 18 Jan. 2026
Under the previous administration, ties between Canada and China all but collapsed following the 2018 extradition spat involving a senior Huawei executive.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 17 Jan. 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
-
Police believe the shooting might have stemmed from an argument or altercation.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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Just hours after he was taken into custody, Anderson was involved in a physical altercation with another incarcerated person.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Much of the comedy in this action-comedy arrives via barbed exchanges between the constantly bickering James and Jonny.—
Richard Kuipers,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The showing had to be aborted after a few shocking scenes of bandmates bickering and Fat Mike blasting lines of cocaine.—
Jim Ruland,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The ruling advances Chiles toward resolving a dispute marked by errors that cost her the floor exercise bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Games.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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The company added programmers’ streaming applications in Spectrum’s expanded basic packages to lower churn and had a slight bump in signups when Disney channels were unavailable for YouTube TV subscribers during a recent carriage dispute.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The opposition People Power Party, however, argues that the National Assembly must ratify the trade deal due to the exorbitant costs involved.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Jan. 2026
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The overriding factor, Tait argued, is the global debt burden.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Some of the quarrels that divided Minneapolis city leaders only a few weeks ago, over policing or Gaza or the budget, have faded as people have come together to oppose ICE.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
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After all, this dispute is a business quarrel, rather than a personal one; while the lawsuit involves a college and a student, it’s better understood as a team trying to keep its star quarterback.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Graham, in particular, has been on a war path over the negotiations, accusing Republicans of not fighting hard enough to reclaim the narrative on immigration after the death of Alex Pretti last weekend.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Jan. 2026
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Defense attorney Marilyn Bednarski said Lemon plans to plead innocent and fight the charges in Minnesota.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The controversy began at the end of a planning and zoning meeting last Thursday, when the council member raised concerns about Border Patrol agents stopping people in the community.—
Anna McAllister,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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The other new entries are DSquared2 (which featured a hot celebrity) and Dolce & Gabbana (which generated heated controversy for its model casting).—
Luke Leitch,
Vogue,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As a ballplayer, Kent was as irascible as Bonds; the two alphas reportedly brawled behind clubhouse doors, and famously clashed in the dugout during a 2002 game, when Bonds lunged for Kent’s throat and pushed him against the wall.—
Jeremy Collins,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
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The cabinets inhaled quarters as four players teamed up to brawl their way to save Maggie Simpson or battle Shredder across New York.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
1 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spat. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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