as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
frightened by noise of the squabble, the cat hid under the couch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily
the children squabbled loudly over who got to play with the toy first
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squabble
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
There’s been a resurgence of interest in Karen Zacarías’ 2016 comedy, a political allegory in which neighbors in a Washington D.C. neighborhood squabble over the line dividing their property.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2025
Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
Soon enough, the scripts are gone, father and daughter are squabbling intimately with each other, and a steady gray rain is drizzling down the upstage windows.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squabble
Noun
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
There’s been a resurgence of interest in Karen Zacarías’ 2016 comedy, a political allegory in which neighbors in a Washington D.C. neighborhood squabble over the line dividing their property.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
The same figure fits seamlessly into competing narratives, suggesting the totalizing intractability of their opposition—the two sides are left squabbling over ownership of the facts like a couple splitting marital assets.
—Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
Soon enough, the scripts are gone, father and daughter are squabbling intimately with each other, and a steady gray rain is drizzling down the upstage windows.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squabble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squabble
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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Meanwhile, borrowers who have their loans in default should expect to receive an email in the next two weeks asking them to contact the Debt Resolution Group, which helps resolve disputes related to defaulted loans.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Sorrell also said bickering by leadership is affecting the community.—
Samantha Moilanen,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2025
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Pratt, whose character plays like a cross between Han Solo and Jack Burton, is gifted with a moment or two, bickering with Herman like a married couple and yeeting cars at Sentre headquarters.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
7 Mar. 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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And some would argue that the lawsuits from NYT and others against OpenAI or other model companies represent a case of this.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Daron Acemoglu has argued for a more all-encompassing approach.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
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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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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Leaders who create space for disagreement without judgment build greater trust, psychological safety and strategic cohesion.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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In video shared by The Associated Press, Grassley faces a room of Iowans who are at times shouting in disagreement about some of the Trump administration's policies.—
Allison Pecorin,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The first is that when U.S. soldiers returned from the war there, protesters spat upon them in disdain.—
Jonathan Zimmerman,
Foreign Affairs,
19 May 2016
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The flare comes after nearly a week of flares and coronal plasma ejections spat toward the planet that threatened disruptions to power and communications systems on Earth.—
Greg Wehner,
Fox News,
15 May 2024
Cite this Entry
“Squabble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squabble. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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