1
as in contentious
given to disagreement or irritation
At the end of what was a fractious campaign, the two former rivals were surprisingly able to settle some of their differences and work together.
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2
as in wild
difficult to manage or control
Security guards were overwhelmed by the fractious crowd at the concert.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fractious
As a Shiite-majority nation, Iran has long held fractious and even hostile relationships with Sunni jihadist actors.
—
Jacob Ware, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
As a Shiite-majority nation, Iran has long held fractious and even hostile relationships with Sunni jihadist actors.
—Jacob Ware, Boston Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Amid the fractious national political environment, the Netflix-WBD deal has become a lightning rod for critics.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026
Their journey from a fractious dynamic and rocky road to fraternal camaraderie was rooted in the fact that Shawn grew up in poverty, facing constant adversity, while Jack grew up in a stable household without wants.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Jacob Ware, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
As a Shiite-majority nation, Iran has long held fractious and even hostile relationships with Sunni jihadist actors.
—Jacob Ware, Boston Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Amid the fractious national political environment, the Netflix-WBD deal has become a lightning rod for critics.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026
Their journey from a fractious dynamic and rocky road to fraternal camaraderie was rooted in the fact that Shawn grew up in poverty, facing constant adversity, while Jack grew up in a stable household without wants.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
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This comes after a federal appeals court's April 21 decision to uphold a contentious Texas law requiring public school districts to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms, setting the stage for a potential Supreme Court fight.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
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Fiery moments from the governor’s debate Democratic frontrunners Xavier Becerra and billionaire Tom Steyer faced fierce attacks Wednesday during a contentious gubernatorial debate in Los Angeles.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Astronomers have always suspected these baby galaxies were busy, but new glimpses from the James Webb Space Telescope are showing them to be even brighter and larger than our wildest dreams.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
4 May 2026
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The reality is, this has been their approach for far too long; it is not been exposed to the public, and a forensic audit of all increases, and all spending that comes from each of those additional taxes will expose corruption beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Two postseasons ago, Joel Embiid rankled Knicks fans during a hyper-testy first-round series in which the Philadelphia 76ers star engaged in multiple controversial plays — none bigger than him pulling Mitchell Robinson to the ground.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
4 May 2026
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Prior attempts to update the 2024 law have been some of the most controversial efforts in the legislature, leading to high drama at both the end of the 2025 regular session and earning a place in the governor’s call for a special session last summer.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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But an increasingly defiant Daisy has another idea.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
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While Google has struck a defiant tone, internal backlash appears to be mounting, with several employees criticizing the deal publicly.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Kravitz's sign is adventurous, blunt and always chasing a new adventure, while Styles' sign is rebellious, independent and slightly unpredictable.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
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This tale of a rebellious unemployed mouse has already won a Goya.—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
By 1730hrs, the crowd grew restive.—
James Reginato,
Vanity Fair,
28 Apr. 2026
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Starmer will face restive lawmakers in Parliament on Monday to fight for his job after the explosive revelation that Mandelson was appointed ambassador to the United States despite failing security checks.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Like most of what Welch says, it’s based on willful ignorance and emotion rather than facts.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
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Assessor Gus Kramer stayed in office when a jury deadlocked on a civil grand jury accusation of willful or corrupt misconduct in office.—
East Bay Times editorial,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Sibrian then retaliated against Soto for her claims by reducing her hourly wage, assigning unreasonable workloads and changing her schedule, according to the lawsuit.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
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If these requirements are not met, the search is unreasonable and therefore unlawful, and evidence obtained in that search cannot be used in court, barring a good-faith exception.—
Anne Toomey McKenna,
The Conversation,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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