as in altercation
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
like any couple, they have their spats
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily
we tend to spat over money more than anything else
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of spat
Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2025
The industry has still been recovering from that first tariff spat.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Mar. 2025
Liam Stack, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2023
South Carolina was on the east bank and Georgia on the west; the temperature was in the fifties, and gray clouds spat water in our faces.
—Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for spat
Noun
Healey has voiced alarm over the Trump administration’s tariff spat with Canada and how the president has ordered a memorandum halting the development of new offshore wind, an energy source proven turbulent in Massachusetts.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2025
The industry has still been recovering from that first tariff spat.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
The teenager first asked the hotel to forgive him, the lawsuit said, but soon flew into a rage, screaming that the hotel was antisemitic and that its employees spat in people’s food.
—Liam Stack, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2023
South Carolina was on the east bank and Georgia on the west; the temperature was in the fifties, and gray clouds spat water in our faces.
—Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for spat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spat
Noun
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The two then had an altercation, during which one of the children was knocked over and Villalobos fled, according to authorities.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2025
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Although officially estranged, the couple were still living together with their three sons under the age of 11 at the time of the July 16, 2023, altercation outside their house.—
Liam Quinn,
People.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
At times, Jason and Tonya seem to border on George and Martha from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, bickering with each other as Mikal listens or, more often than not, tunes it out with earphones on, playing video games.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2025
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An alien spaceship has spiked an immensely popular bubblegum with an interdimensional ectoplasm that turns everyone who chews it into zombies, and the only ones who can save humanity are bickering foster brothers Daffy Duck and Porky Pig (both voiced by Eric Bauza).—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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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
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The basketball star has a reputation for being able to silence media noise in the most crucial moments, but the family element of this quarrel seems to have hit a little too close to home this time.—
Christian Orozco,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Now, perhaps swayed by Trump’s popular vote victory – the first for a Republican candidate in 20 years – many US conservatives appear to have changed their position, arguing the US is more a democracy than a republic.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2025
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Anne argues that Tarantino is passing the project on to Fincher in order to avoid making the film his supposed 10th, and likely won’t force Netflix’s hand into giving the film a more plum theatrical window.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
No arrests were made, and there was no further investigation into the dispute.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Approach with caution, look at reviews, and maybe don’t use your main credit card (or at least keep your bank’s dispute line handy).—
Francesca Krempa,
StyleCaster,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
In 2017, the administration fought hard and communicated clearly.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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While there is no vaccine to prevent the common cold nor a specific medicine to cure it, there are ways to manage your symptoms while your body fights the illness.—
Lauren Schlanger,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The controversy stems from fears that ByteDance could be compelled by Chinese law to share U.S. user data or manipulate content for propaganda purposes.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
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Plus, there’s no shortage of controversy in modern politics—use this recipe as a starting point for your own cheeky and timely dessert.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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He is embroiled in a feud with Damian Priest, which could mean the two men will brawl at some point in the show.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
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Pena, who was brawling with the homeless man, illegally entered the U.S. in 2019 under the Trump administration but was deported two days later.—
Michael Dorgan,
Fox News,
15 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spat. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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