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
The battle between mother and child went on and on for weeks; not the least fractious were the violent discussions about personal pronouns.
—
Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Gutfeld's visit comes against the backdrop of a politically fractious moment in late-night.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
That Tajzadeh’s appeal bridges Iran’s fractious opposition was evident in the reaction to his most recent sentencing.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 8 Aug. 2025
Johnson emerged as an unlikely unity candidate—a low-profile figure with few enemies in a fractious conference.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Gutfeld's visit comes against the backdrop of a politically fractious moment in late-night.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
That Tajzadeh’s appeal bridges Iran’s fractious opposition was evident in the reaction to his most recent sentencing.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 8 Aug. 2025
Johnson emerged as an unlikely unity candidate—a low-profile figure with few enemies in a fractious conference.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
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The contentious issue, which was regarded as a momentous turning point when it was adopted by the European Union in 2023, has been a hot topic at the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich this week.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
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One of those was his contentious divorce with his first wife Denise Richards.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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July through September brings the most color, and wild sunflowers are well-known for growing here.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
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John Mitani is a professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Michigan, whose studies over 45 years have included wild chimpanzees in Uganda and Tanzania; gibbons and orangutans in Indonesia, gorillas in Rwanda, and bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As a public institution, UVU upholds First Amendment rights and fosters an environment where ideas – popular or controversial – can be exchanged freely, energetically, and civilly.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
15 Sep. 2025
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Despite her controversial inclusion at the event, Melnikova’s performances were met with robust cheers from the Parisian crowd.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But to Hollywood, Pusser’s defiant story was irresistible.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
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A day earlier, at his pre-match news conference, Pochettino sounded defensive and defiant.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The third book in the Luna Sisters series follows the journey to love for the youngest and most rebellious Luna sister, Gabriela.—
Mia Sosa,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
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Meanwhile, Gemma’s niece Cady (McGraw) is now 14, a rebellious teenager living under Gemma’s overprotective rules.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Beijing’s approach to Tibet parallels its efforts to control minority populations in other restive regions of China.—
Tenzin Dorjee,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Sep. 2025
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Just as the Kremlin sought to quell dissent against its vicious campaign in the restive republic, so, too, has a deafening silence accompanied its Ukraine folly.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Penalties can apply even if the omission wasn’t willful.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Maybe this willful disregard for someone’s wishes, particularly about their home, is part of some larger family dynamic.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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We're protected from unreasonable searches and seizures.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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This is a crude and unreasonable attempt to make the discussion into an all-or-nothing affair.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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