fractious
adjective
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The Latin verb frangere means "to break or shatter" and is related to a few common words, which is evident in their meanings. Dishes that are fragile break easily. A person whose health is easily broken might be described as frail. A fraction is one of the many pieces into which a whole can be broken. But fraction also once meant "disharmony" or "discord"—that is, a "rupture in relations." From this noun sense came the adjective fractious.
Examples of fractious in a Sentence
Patrick Svitek, Washington Post, 5 July 2024
On the left, a previously fractious cluster of parties have recently banded together to form the New Popular Front – a coalition meant to resurrect the original Popular Front that prevented fascists from gaining power in 1936.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 29 June 2024
In fractious 1970s America, at a time when most Asian-Americans were trying their damndest to assimilate, Hello Kitty served as a secret cultural touching point.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 27 June 2024
Similarly, the events of early April and their unexpectedly speedy resolution raise significant questions about the regime and the ways in which the Islamic Republic’s strident antagonism toward the Jewish state has often been tempered by its increasingly fractious domestic politics.
—Ali M. Ansari, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for fractious 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fractious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fractious
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fractious. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
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