as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
a loud quarrel erupted at the next table over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily
the coach and the referee quarreled about whether the ball was in bounds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of quarrel
Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Knowing her grandson was outside, Mette called out to the group as the commotion grew, demanding the quarrel stop and for her grandchild to leave, sources said.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
Robert Loerzel, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
Now isn’t the time to quarrel with the coach, so, purely for context: Atkinson was an assistant on the last Golden State Warriors team to win a title in 2022, but Poole did not start next to Curry.
—Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quarrel
Noun
But in Mexico, which in defeat was forced to cede more than half of its territory to the U.S., memories of the war and other military quarrels with the nation’s powerful northern neighbor remain deeply felt.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Knowing her grandson was outside, Mette called out to the group as the commotion grew, demanding the quarrel stop and for her grandchild to leave, sources said.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
The women encourage their children to quarrel and fight, and teach them how it is done by actual combats with their neighbors.
—Robert Loerzel, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
Now isn’t the time to quarrel with the coach, so, purely for context: Atkinson was an assistant on the last Golden State Warriors team to win a title in 2022, but Poole did not start next to Curry.
—Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quarrel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quarrel
Noun
-
Phan was convicted of shooting up a high school graduation party after a dispute, killing an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old.—
Greg Wehner , Bill Melugin,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2025
-
Officials from the United States and China met in London to talk about a range of different disputes that are separating them.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Verb
-
As the family begins bickering, Alice/Nicola excuses herself from the table.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
26 May 2025
-
Mileage will also vary for the bickering chemistry between stars John Krasinski and Natalie Portman, though deft supporting turns inject welcome flashes of unpredictability into this mostly paint-by-numbers affair.—
Todd Gilchrist,
Variety,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
This wasn’t the first altercation to take place at one of Beyoncé’s recent shows.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
7 June 2025
-
The jail altercation has since escalated into a wider conflict between the Sheriff’s Office and the Broward State Attorney’s Office.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Kompany argued against that approach in the pre-game press conference yesterday, pointing to his experience playing with the national team against smaller nations.—
Manuel Veth,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
-
However, many argue the full effects of elevated tariffs haven't shown up in the data yet.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
15 June 2025
Noun
-
Ordinary disagreements are now seen as grounds to capriciously immiserate and ruin lives, and failing that, to intimidate state leaders into capitulation.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
-
Amid the insults and threats hurled across the political landscape, the risks of violence stemming from political and legal disagreements represent a governing challenge equal to the violence of the 1960s.—
Michael Mcauliffe,
Sun Sentinel,
10 June 2025
Verb
-
Asked about the optics of the two groups fighting each other through open letters to city leadership, Martinez pointed out that both Black and Latino students have seen significant improvements in literacy rates under his tenure.—
Nell Salzman,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2025
-
One idea was to add tanks or other iconic Army equipment to an exhibit parked on the National Mall where tourists could learn about the Army's history of fighting the nation's wars.—
Anne Flaherty,
ABC News,
14 June 2025
Noun
-
At the heart of the controversy over Iran’s nuclear program is its enrichment of uranium – a process used to produce fuel for power plants that, at higher levels, can also be used to make a nuclear bomb.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
13 June 2025
-
Read Next Before payment controversy, Chief Johnny Jennings made progressive strides at CMPD June 6, 2025 11:23 AM This story was originally published June 13, 2025 at 5:00 AM.—
Maia Nehme,
Charlotte Observer,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
“Quarrel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quarrel. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share