bickering

1 of 2

noun

bick·​er·​ing ˈbi-k(ə-)riŋ 

: petty and petulant quarreling especially when prolonged or habitual

… said his own bosses, through their persistent bickering, had made his job practically impossible.

—Ronald Scott

also, bickerings plural : instances of such quarreling

was tired of listening to their endless bickerings

bickering

2 of 2

adjective

: engaging in or characterized by petty and petulant quarreling

a bickering couple

bickering politicians

Examples of bickering in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There is so much shoving, so much bickering for attention and so much posturing. —Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 7 June 2025

On paper, Apple TV+’s Fountain of Youth seems like a fun idea: a mix of National Treasure and The Mummy with a bickering John Krasinski and Natalie Portman as brother-and-sister tomb raiders. —Staff Author Published, EW.com, 22 May 2025

Adjective

The couple were merely bickering, a source close to the president told CNN affiliate BFM TV. —Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 26 May 2025

That is until a mysterious someone starts sending strange gifts to hopeless widower Henry (Sheen) and his two bickering children, Will and Ella. —Alex Ritman, Variety, 8 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1573, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1811, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bickering

• flickering
• snickering