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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quarrelsome
In 1254, King Edward I and Queen Eleanor of Castile were married at a very young age, and although Edward had a reputation for being arrogant and quarrelsome, the pair eventually fell deeply in love.
—
Gulnaz Khan, AFAR Media, 13 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for quarrelsome
Gulnaz Khan, AFAR Media, 13 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for quarrelsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quarrelsome
Adjective
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Being too aggressive with your use of ice can damage your skin.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
22 July 2025
-
As the relationship between Putin and Trump has soured, a broad coalition of U.S. lawmakers has lined up ready to place new aggressive sanctions on Russia.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
Although sometimes contentious, his most recent appearance lacked the acrimony from lawmakers who had accused the director and the lottery's oversight board of misleading the Legislature about the courier companies.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
After the initially contentious plan in 1994 to establish a citywide youth curfew, part of the plan involved extending hours at recreation centers in Evanston and Price Hill.—
David Ferrara,
The Enquirer,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
Israel declared war on Hamas after the militant group's soldiers launched a surprise attack on the Jewish state, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
Trump has been uniquely willing to break with Israel on many issues—for instance, by making deals with the Houthi militant group in Yemen and opening a diplomatic dialogue with Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Shara, despite his past alignment with al-Qaeda.—
ZAHA HASSAN,
Foreign Affairs,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
The death was ruled a suicide, a controversial ruling that has become conspiracy fodder and the subject of intense scrutiny.—
Liam Quinn,
People.com,
30 July 2025
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Texans continue to be killed and injured in vehicle pursuits by state and local law enforcement in the counties participating in Gov. Greg Abbott’s controversial border crackdown, known as Operation Lone Star.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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In early October 2022, the ruling said, McCarty filed a hostile work environment complaint with the police department.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
25 July 2025
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Five days later, on July 8, an attorney for the city manager submitted a letter of potential claim against the city citing defamation, harassment and creation of a hostile work environment.—
Anita Edmondson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
The fizzing reaction can help remove stubborn residues.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
27 July 2025
-
Beneath its surface were deep, dark scars—grooves cut through the rock by old lava flows, now overgrown with stubborn green.—
Tess Moormans,
Travel + Leisure,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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Despite its self-destructive proclivities, the irritable giant has managed to make, and keep, a friend.—
Robin George Andrews,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
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Determined to make a clean SPF, Brown says a chemical formula was out of the question (chemical sunscreens are often thought to be unsafe for the coral reef and irritable to sensitive skin types).—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Fittingly, the music is intense, darkly funny, frequently beautiful, absurd, sometimes frightening, belligerent, angry, crazy.—
Will Hermes,
Rolling Stone,
26 July 2025
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When someone has high drive and integrity that are not balanced by other character dimensions, these strengths can become dictatorial, forceful, uncompromising, belligerent, rigid, and dogmatic, among others.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quarrelsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quarrelsome. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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