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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Recent Examples of fractious
And Trump responded directly from the Oval Office, noting Democratic opposition and the challenges of unifying a fractious GOP caucus.
—
Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
That’s partly because A.I. is a fractious and changing field, in which opinions differ; partly because so much of the latest A.I. research is proprietary and unpublished; and partly because there can be no firm answers to fundamentally speculative questions—only probabilities.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 27 May 2025
Her fractious sister, Karlet, had been a favorite of their conversation.
—Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
Unlike tariffs, which Trump seems to be able to conjure or dismiss unilaterally at a wave of his hand, a tax bill needs to pass through the different layers of the government and be agreed on by fractious politicians.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
That’s partly because A.I. is a fractious and changing field, in which opinions differ; partly because so much of the latest A.I. research is proprietary and unpublished; and partly because there can be no firm answers to fundamentally speculative questions—only probabilities.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 27 May 2025
Her fractious sister, Karlet, had been a favorite of their conversation.
—Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
Unlike tariffs, which Trump seems to be able to conjure or dismiss unilaterally at a wave of his hand, a tax bill needs to pass through the different layers of the government and be agreed on by fractious politicians.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
-
The contentious professional relationship between billionaire Elon Musk and President Donald Trump has seemingly come to an end.—
Maria Gracia Santillana Linares,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
One particularly contentious confrontation occurred at a Home Depot in the heavily Latino city of Paramount, just outside Los Angeles.—
Joe Hernandez,
NPR,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
The fish skin – a medical product made from wild North Atlantic cod and manufactured by the Icelandic company Kerecis – provided a scaffold, or a type of platform, for new skin tissue to grow.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
2 June 2025
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This was still wild country, and Fuller set off with the express purpose of producing a book about her journey.—
James Marcus,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
But with the event falling on June 14, President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday—and with his name, presence, and fingerprints woven throughout—the military spectacle has become one of the most controversial and polarizing public displays in the nation’s capital in years.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
12 June 2025
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But in the 1990s, the U.S. government undertook one of the most controversial wildlife programs in history — capturing wild wolves in Canada and reintroducing them in Idaho and Yellowstone National Park.—
Clark Corbin,
Idaho Statesman,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
Kim Kardashian made a defiant walk into Paris' Palace of Justice in May, to face the criminals who held the reality star at gunpoint and robbed in 2016.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
6 June 2025
-
In an era defined by digital speed, algorithmic curation, and disposable listening, Gearbox Records has carved out a defiant space for intentionality, sonic depth, and analog fidelity.—
Steve Baltin,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Many historians estimate that at least 15 to 20 percent of the population remained loyal to the crown, some even taking up arms against their rebellious neighbors and fighting alongside the British.—
Greg Daugherty,
Smithsonian Magazine,
4 June 2025
-
Inspired by 1953’s The Wild One starring Marlon Brando, the song and video captures the rebellious spirit of the cult classic, with scenes of a motorcycle being driven on an open road and birds in flight.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Moving out of Seattle also put almost 2,000 miles between the company’s top brass and its restive unions, which might have been one of the biggest attractions from the corner-office point of view.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2025
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After South Sudan declared independence, the regions bordering the breakaway country remained restive, and the Bashir regime began deploying a new paramilitary force there.—
Nicolas Niarchos,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
Adjective
-
Grading for equity amounts to willful and moralized deception, including self-deception.—
The Editors,
National Review,
29 May 2025
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Like it or not, businesses and thought leaders operate in an information ecosystem where willful lies and concocted conspiracies are amplified by algorithms.—
Rhea Wessel,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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The vast majority of post commenters assured the OP that her feelings are completely valid and that her mother is being unreasonable.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
7 June 2025
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But leading the team to the Finals is not an unreasonable request.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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