quarrel 1 of 2

Definition of quarrelnext

quarrel

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun quarrel contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of quarrel are altercation, squabble, and wrangle. While all these words mean "a noisy dispute usually marked by anger," quarrel implies heated verbal contention, stressing strained or severed relations which may persist beyond the contention.

a quarrel nearly destroyed the relationship

When would altercation be a good substitute for quarrel?

The words altercation and quarrel can be used in similar contexts, but altercation implies fighting with words as the chief weapon, although it may also connote blows.

a loud public altercation

When can squabble be used instead of quarrel?

The synonyms squabble and quarrel are sometimes interchangeable, but squabble stresses childish and unseemly dispute over petty matters, but it need not imply bitterness or anger.

a brief squabble over what to do next

When is it sensible to use wrangle instead of quarrel?

While the synonyms wrangle and quarrel are close in meaning, wrangle suggests undignified and often futile disputation with a noisy insistence on differing opinions.

wrangle interminably about small issues

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 quarrel
Noun
Prosecutors said this past Friday, Contreras got into a quarrel with a woman who was a member of his family outside an Oakwood Hills Home. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 26 May 2026 In a 2024 study, researchers found that chimpanzee mothers tended to step in to defend their children in quarrels—say, over food or space in a tree—in about half of cases the researchers observed in the wild. Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 10 May 2026
Verb
On Thursday, the Miami City Commission deferred voting on two commissioners’ requests to fund affordable housing and parks in their districts after officials quarreled over which areas in the city have the most pressing needs, an argument that cut to the core of the wealth divide in Miami. Tess Riski april 10, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026 Budapest, which has quarreled with its EU partners over support for Ukraine and Russian oil deliveries, has also blocked a 90 billion euro ($103 billion) loan as Kyiv runs low on cash. Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for quarrel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quarrel
Noun
  • The legal action is part of a broader series of disputes in the streaming industry over carriage rights, bundling requirements and pricing control.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • 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.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Several weeks back, Clark and White were caught bickering during a timeout huddle against the expansion Portland Fire.
    Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 June 2026
  • The plot centers on bickering couple Joe and Angela, who invite their noisy upstairs neighbors, Hawk and Piña, for dinner.
    Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • While Blutinger was speaking, history professor Jonathan Roth attempted to take video of the protesters in the hallway and got into a physical altercation with a female student who tried to block him from doing so.
    Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • During that altercation, the other person shot Perkins several times, police said.
    Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • The defense had argued to delay the hearing, saying in court filings this spring the high volume of discovery meant Robinson’s attorneys would be unable to adequately prepare.
    Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Proponents argue recordings would solve a long-standing crisis that leaves many proceedings with no verbatim record.
    Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Noun
  • Some states chose not to send representatives; several of them cited disagreements with the partisan mission.
    Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 3 July 2026
  • 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.
    Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • Two firefighters died from injures sustained while fighting the blaze.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • The action is set in the 1750s with Washington as a young man eager to fight, initially as a British officer in a period of complex loyalties.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 3 July 2026
Noun
  • Test your knowledge of cruise controversies, wedding whispers and more in this week's American Culture Quiz.
    Staff, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • 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.
    Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • Mulroney, Ackerman, Snow, and Newman turn this story of spatting WAGS into an explosive, addictive watch.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Quarrel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quarrel. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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