1
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
a quarrelsome student who was always being sent to the principal's office for starting fights in the halls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contentious
given to arguing
you're so quarrelsome: you can never do anything without a fuss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of quarrelsome
In 1254, King Edward I and Queen Eleanor of Castile were married at a very young age, and although Edward had a reputation for being arrogant and quarrelsome, the pair eventually fell deeply in love.
—
Gulnaz Khan, AFAR Media, 13 Feb. 2025
In the previous three years alone, the police had responded to a dozen incidents featuring the quarrelsome man.
—Photographs Todd Heisler, New York Times, 19 May 2024
Stereophonic could be called a workplace drama, a quarrelsome family play or even an extended hangout, as much a vibe as a story.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The romantic pentagon’s members are quarrelsome, foolish, and discombobulated by the passage of time—characters often describe themselves as being a bore or a burden, or as having missed their moment.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for quarrelsome
Gulnaz Khan, AFAR Media, 13 Feb. 2025
In the previous three years alone, the police had responded to a dozen incidents featuring the quarrelsome man.
—Photographs Todd Heisler, New York Times, 19 May 2024
Stereophonic could be called a workplace drama, a quarrelsome family play or even an extended hangout, as much a vibe as a story.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The romantic pentagon’s members are quarrelsome, foolish, and discombobulated by the passage of time—characters often describe themselves as being a bore or a burden, or as having missed their moment.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for quarrelsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quarrelsome
Adjective
-
In addition to doing his job defensively, Garcia was aggressive in pushing up from his spot at left back and getting involved in the offensive attack.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Aug. 2025
-
In the interview, Mustafa describes Seeley as inattentive and overly aggressive, both with his words and even physically in otherwise friendly pillow fights.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Bengals fans are familiar with these kinds of contentious negotiations involving a star player.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
The state Legislature held an hourslong hearing this week that turned contentious amid interruptions and partisan clashes.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The Palestinian militant group also abducted more than 250 hostages.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Now, that was never actually true, and certainly on January 6th, when a lot of the members of these militant groups went to the Capitol and attacked police officers, injuring more than 100 of them, their love for law enforcement was not genuine.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Trump administration officials strutted through Union Station amid its deployment of federal law enforcement and National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., arguing the controversial action is bringing down crime.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Key Facts Abrego Garcia, who was born in El Salvador but lived in Maryland when the Trump administration mistakenly deported him in March, was released from federal custody Friday but still faces trial on criminal charges brought by the administration during his controversial removal.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The climate for filmmakers looking to interrogate the Russian war effort remains hostile.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
31 Aug. 2025
-
The president’s hostile, but at times confusing, remarks over the last several days have put the city on edge as leaders condemned the plan as unnecessary and dangerous.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The Myth That Won’t Die: 'Nobody Scrolls' For years, there’s been this stubborn idea in web design that everything important has to be above the fold.—
Talie Smith,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Detailing exactly how scientists made this new discovery, the study chronicles the case of a 34-year-old woman who arrived at the NIH Clinical Center with a stubborn skin tumor on her forehead.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Avi tries to comfort his grieving (read: irritable) mother by saying at least his grandmother and grandfather are together again in Heaven.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
22 Aug. 2025
-
For years men have blamed divorce on menopause and said women are irritable and irrational, says Alyx Coble-Frake, founder of The Agenda, an app that helps women track their menstrual cycle to help increase productivity.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Both Iran and Israel emerged from June's 12-day war claiming victory, but their rhetoric since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire has grown increasingly belligerent.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Validated Insights To even the most casual observer, these must feel like belligerent times in higher education – surrounded by fires, besieged, and under crushing market pressures all at once.—
Derek Newton,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quarrelsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quarrelsome. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share