as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily
this discussion is so silly we might as well altercate on how many angels can dance on the point of a needle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for altercate
Verb
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Jenna is frustrated at his lack of seriousness, and Daisy wishes her department would stop bickering for once.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026 -
Against the backdrop of an island honeymoon, the two men clash and bicker before gradually uncovering an unexpected bond in this emotional dramedy.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors argue that Duckett was a monster in disguise who abused the badge and brutally raped and killed Teresa before dumping her body in a lake.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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The reversal comes after Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta and the UCLA Voting Rights Project launched legal challenges last week, arguing the sheriff has no authority over election materials.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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They get captured by Hungarian gangsters and have to fight (and kill) their way out of an inn run by a shady former dance prodigy (Uma Thurman).—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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Nissie Cadette took the mic and spoke about what an influence Metayer had been on her life, fighting through tears at every word.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Instead of bold action, English said, European leaders have quarreled over internal divisions and rivalries.—
Gavin J. Quinton
March 10,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Last year, the Legislature didn’t finalize its budget until two weeks before the annual budget cycle ended because the House and Senate quarreled over how to close a $4 billion spending gap.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Martin and staffers in Blanche's office sometimes clashed, in part amid frustrations over what Blanche's staff perceived as a lack of progress by Martin on the work of the Weaponization Working Group, according to several sources familiar with the dynamics.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Competing civic interests and institutional missions inevitably clash, particularly when promises of cultural visibility and community representation are made simultaneously.—
Michelle Grabner,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Callie and Arizona: Another couple spatting over kids.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2025
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Mulroney, Ackerman, Snow, and Newman turn this story of spatting WAGS into an explosive, addictive watch.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The judge said Couvrette and Brigandi failed to dispute that evidence in court.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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Players and umpires can get a definitive answer when a call is disputed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Massive crowds were packed shoulder-to-shoulder, dancing wildly, brawling and turning the shoreline into a scene of disorder right before multiple gunshots sent thousands sprinting in panic.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Drivers brawled with attendants when the gas ran out, or when the lines weren’t moving fast enough, and cops closed down the stations, which made no one happy.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Altercate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altercate. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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