as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
judging from all the slamming and banging, I'd say there was some sort of altercation going on next door
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of altercation
In the filing, Will provided his account of a June 3 altercation between himself, Victoria and Sandoval.
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Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 June 2026
Bravo alum Tom Sandoval is in the midst of another controversy after video surfaced showing an altercation with his ex and her father.
—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
26 June 2026
When the fan confronted Cromer, a verbal and physical altercation ensued.
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Ct Jones,
Rolling Stone,
25 June 2026
The brothers were allegedly looking for the man involved in the earlier altercation when police received a call indicating that one of them may have had a rifle, police said.
—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for altercation
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 June 2026
Bravo alum Tom Sandoval is in the midst of another controversy after video surfaced showing an altercation with his ex and her father.
—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
26 June 2026
When the fan confronted Cromer, a verbal and physical altercation ensued.
—
Ct Jones,
Rolling Stone,
25 June 2026
The brothers were allegedly looking for the man involved in the earlier altercation when police received a call indicating that one of them may have had a rifle, police said.
—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for altercation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for altercation
Noun
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The legal action is part of a broader series of disputes in the streaming industry over carriage rights, bundling requirements and pricing control.
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The dispute over Mississippi's law dates back to 2024, when the Republican National Committee and Mississippi's Libertarian Party filed lawsuits challenging the ballot-receipt deadline.
Noun
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The victim got into a quarrel inside Bob’s Classic Barber Shop on Albany Ave.
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Rounding out the top five names were seven write-in votes for the Sacramento Capitals or Capitols — which could be nicknamed the Caps to avoid quarrels over the spelling — and six votes for the Sacramento Stingers or Sting, referencing the collegiate Sacramento State Hornets.
Noun
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Test your knowledge of cruise controversies, wedding whispers and more in this week's American Culture Quiz.
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Williams’ decision to leave the position was a big surprise to the mayor, commissioners and residents, though her departure followed months of controversy and scrutiny.
Noun
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Some states chose not to send representatives; several of them cited disagreements with the partisan mission.
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The city commission reached a major step forward on the project after months of delays and disagreements over the best way to replace the old City Hall, which was damaged beyond repair by the historic flooding of April 2023.
Noun
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What is clear is that centrist Democrats haven’t mounted much of a fight.
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Railing against a new crop of progressive candidates has emerged as a more animating focus for a president who thrills to a fight.
Noun
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Thirteen players, including four Australians, are ejected for their part in the brawl.
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The Red Sox and Nationals turned a regular June game into the biggest baseball brawl of the season after Boston hothead Willson Contreras completely lost it.
Noun
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But Erwin Chemerinsky, Berkeley’s law school dean, said Trump still won most of the cases the court decided either after oral arguments or through emergency appeals the administration brought.
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Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle told KTVI that the incident happened after an argument erupted inside the BP gas station at South Florissant and Woodstock roads.
Noun
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Where modern novels might have opposites meeting at work, separated by a misunderstanding and reunited with a kiss and solid communication, ancient novels are quite different.
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By regularly communicating these norms, leaders can help ensure clarity and avoid misunderstandings when team members are out of office.
Cite this Entry
“Altercation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altercation. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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