fractious

adjective

frac·tious ˈfrak-shəs $How to pronounce fractious (audio)$

Synonyms of fractious next

: tending to be troublesome : unruly

a fractious crowd

: quarrelsome, irritable

a fractious political campaign

fractiously adverb

fractiousness noun

Did you know?

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

The fractious crowd grew violent.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The case has been absorbed into the United States’ fractious politics, with Republican officials speaking up for Penny and Democratic ones attending Neely’s funeral. —

Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024 Lupe makes an excellent foil for Bell, their fractious bond deepened by decades of sibling rivalry and the threat Joanne’s new relationship with a decent guy poses to a podcast dependent on her dating woes. —

Judy Berman, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024 Check out the expert takes below from 16 members of Forbes Agency Council for valuable tips busy entrepreneurs can use to leverage X in today’s fractious social media environment. 1. —

Expert Panel®, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024 The House bill would authorize less money, $60 million annually to start, and has bipartisan support — both elements that McArthur says give it a fighting chance in the fractious, fiscally conservative House. —

Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fractious