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 case has been absorbed into the United States’ fractious politics, with Republican officials speaking up for Penny and Democratic ones attending Neely’s funeral.
—
Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
Lupe makes an excellent foil for Bell, their fractious bond deepened by decades of sibling rivalry and the threat Joanne’s new relationship with a decent guy poses to a podcast dependent on her dating woes.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024
Check out the expert takes below from 16 members of Forbes Agency Council for valuable tips busy entrepreneurs can use to leverage X in today’s fractious social media environment.
1.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
The House bill would authorize less money, $60 million annually to start, and has bipartisan support — both elements that McArthur says give it a fighting chance in the fractious, fiscally conservative House.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2024
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Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
Lupe makes an excellent foil for Bell, their fractious bond deepened by decades of sibling rivalry and the threat Joanne’s new relationship with a decent guy poses to a podcast dependent on her dating woes.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024
Check out the expert takes below from 16 members of Forbes Agency Council for valuable tips busy entrepreneurs can use to leverage X in today’s fractious social media environment.
1.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
The House bill would authorize less money, $60 million annually to start, and has bipartisan support — both elements that McArthur says give it a fighting chance in the fractious, fiscally conservative House.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fractious
Dictionary Entries Near fractious
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fractious. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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