1
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
a quarrelsome student who was always being sent to the principal's office for starting fights in the halls
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contentious
given to arguing
you're so quarrelsome: you can never do anything without a fuss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quarrelsome
In the previous three years alone, the police had responded to a dozen incidents featuring the quarrelsome man.
—
Photographs Todd Heisler, New York Times, 19 May 2024
Stereophonic could be called a workplace drama, a quarrelsome family play or even an extended hangout, as much a vibe as a story.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The romantic pentagon’s members are quarrelsome, foolish, and discombobulated by the passage of time—characters often describe themselves as being a bore or a burden, or as having missed their moment.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
The battlegrounds have also multiplied, from a few notoriously quarrelsome parent councils to traditionally peaceful spots around the city.
—Troy Closson, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for quarrelsome
Photographs Todd Heisler, New York Times, 19 May 2024
Stereophonic could be called a workplace drama, a quarrelsome family play or even an extended hangout, as much a vibe as a story.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The romantic pentagon’s members are quarrelsome, foolish, and discombobulated by the passage of time—characters often describe themselves as being a bore or a burden, or as having missed their moment.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
The battlegrounds have also multiplied, from a few notoriously quarrelsome parent councils to traditionally peaceful spots around the city.
—Troy Closson, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for quarrelsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quarrelsome
Adjective
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Addressing the Obvious Critiques Yes, 3–4% real growth is aggressive.—
Don Muir,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
After the aggressive animal showed no signs of leaving, the woman’s boyfriend fatally shot it, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2025
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 aid group accused Hamas of carrying out the assault; the militant group has not yet responded to the allegations.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
12 June 2025
-
Some activists have been criticized for spreading messages seen as antisemitic or outright supportive of militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
Adjective
-
The presence was much larger than when officials detained an immigrant last week and appeared to be a continuation of the new and controversial practice that has troubled attorneys, angered activists and increased fears for immigrants.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
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
-
The crowd was right on top of you there, the students rimmed the court, the very definition of a hostile environment.—
Jim Calhoun with Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
8 June 2025
-
That’s coupled with a more hostile political environment for diversity-forward businesses.—
Phoebe Liu,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
Their relationship can be difficult as AM is stubborn and likes to have her way always.—
Carolyn Rosenblatt,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
-
Some of these infections stop on their own, but others are too stubborn, or too serious, to leave untreated.—
Sam Walters,
Discover Magazine,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
Cass fulfills his obligations in a particularly irritable way.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Vulture,
30 Apr. 2025
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One person’s fatigue is another’s back pain, is another’s migraine or irritable bowel, or long Covid, and so on.—
Jessica DuLong,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Iranian regime’s utter ineptitude is matched by a record of belligerent action and rhetoric.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2025
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His willpower and determination has warded off advancing age and a T20 belligerent game that was becoming the antithesis of his technical expertise honed from a more sedate era.—
Tristan Lavalette,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quarrelsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quarrelsome. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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