1
: a ground of dispute or complaint
have no quarrel with a different approach
2
: a usually verbal conflict between antagonists : altercation
quarreled or quarrelled; quarreling or quarrelling
1
: to find fault
many people quarrel with the idea—
Johns Hopkins Magazine
Johns Hopkins Magazine2
: to contend or dispute actively
quarreled frequently with his superiors—London Calling
London Calling
quarreler
noun
or quarreller
Synonyms
Examples of quarrel in a Sentence
Noun (2)
a loud quarrel erupted at the next table over
Verb
The children quarrel all the time.
She and her husband are always quarreling about money.
I don't want to quarrel with you.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sebastian Stockmaier, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2024
Khodr was concerned about rising tensions between the two communities competing for limited aid, and opened separate shelters to avoid quarrels; fifty-nine for Lebanese and five for Syrians.
—Rania Abouzeid, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Last year, the province of Dhi Qar quarreled with neighboring Basra over water use.
—Mukad Al Jabbari, Foreign Affairs, 23 Aug. 2015
See all Example Sentences for quarrel 
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.
Noun
The farmers’ quarrels with vampires make sense, especially in smaller cattle herds, where losing even one cow can significantly hurt a farmer’s livelihood.
—Sebastian Stockmaier, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2024
Khodr was concerned about rising tensions between the two communities competing for limited aid, and opened separate shelters to avoid quarrels; fifty-nine for Lebanese and five for Syrians.
—Rania Abouzeid, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
Verb
Hans Castorp’s companions at the sanatorium’s five lavish daily meals are a cosmopolitan and macabre gallery of mostly young people who fill the endless hours gossiping, flirting, quarreling, philosophizing, and waiting to recover or die.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Last year, the province of Dhi Qar quarreled with neighboring Basra over water use.
—Mukad Al Jabbari, Foreign Affairs, 23 Aug. 2015
See all Example Sentences for quarrel
Dictionary Entries Near quarrel
Cite this Entry
“Quarrel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarrel. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
quarrel
1 of 2 noun
quar·rel
ˈkwȯr(-ə)l 
ˈkwär(-ə)l
ˈkwär(-ə)l
1
: a cause of dispute or complaint
2
: an angry difference of opinion : dispute
quarrel
2 of 2 verb
quarreled or quarrelled; quarreling or quarrelling
1
: to find fault
I quarrel with your version of what happened
2
: to argue forcefully or loudly : squabble
quarreler
noun
or quarreller
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share