fractious

adjective

frac·​tious ˈfrak-shəs 

1

: tending to be troublesome : unruly

a fractious crowd

2

: 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

The House, concerned that getting its fractious conference on board with two bills is too precarious, wants to address all the priorities in one big bill. —Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 21 Feb. 2025

Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan had fractious teams but successful administrations. —Tevi Troy, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Feb. 2025

But as Stewart shows, this fractious movement has lined up under the banner of MAGA and Donald Trump. —Jennifer Szalai, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025

Even within Israel's fractious and divided political system, there was a line that could not be crossed. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

fract(ion) (in sense "rupture, discord, breach of the peace") + -ious (after captious, factious)

First Known Use

1714, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fractious

• factious

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