as in bickered
to express different opinions about something often angrily
the children squabbled loudly over who got to play with the toy first
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Recent Examples of squabbled
Personalities from the stations have squabbled over the years, like rappers signed to labels with similar wares but diverging agendas.
—
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
This go-around hasn’t been much different as the party squabbled over which of their numerous health care proposals should receive a vote.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 13 Dec. 2025
Late risers in pajamas walked their dogs, two men squabbled over a parking spot, and neighbors and shopkeepers went about their routines.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
The parties have squabbled over the lawsuit's jurisdiction for months.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
Awarded a second-half penalty against Bremen, Patrik Schick and Exequiel Palacios squabbled over who should take it, in a cliche of team dysfunction.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2025
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
This go-around hasn’t been much different as the party squabbled over which of their numerous health care proposals should receive a vote.
—Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 13 Dec. 2025
Late risers in pajamas walked their dogs, two men squabbled over a parking spot, and neighbors and shopkeepers went about their routines.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
The parties have squabbled over the lawsuit's jurisdiction for months.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
Awarded a second-half penalty against Bremen, Patrik Schick and Exequiel Palacios squabbled over who should take it, in a cliche of team dysfunction.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squabbled
Verb
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The actors jokingly bickered about their history with the ceremony, with Cheadle remarking that Clooney hadn’t won since 2026 winner Timothée Chalamet was 3 years old.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 Jan. 2026
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On 33 occasions since 2017, Congress has been forced to pass emergency extensions to the flood insurance program, as lawmakers bickered over budgets and looming shutdowns threatened to disrupt it, according to a letter the National Association of Realtors sent to Congress ahead of the shutdown.—
Rukmini Callimachi,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Critics argued that the hotel industry was already faced with the minimum wage changes and low demand, and increasing taxes by any amount could send tourists to competing hotels in nearby cities.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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In a 2014 editorial, the Times argued the federal ban on the drug should be repealed, and the decision should be left up to the individual states.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For the past seven months, SDC has quarreled with state officials and lawmakers over its community action agency title.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
26 Nov. 2025
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Rhoden's biggest political victory this year was getting the state Legislature to sign off on a $650 million plan in September to replace the 141-year-old state penitentiary, an issue the Legislature had quarreled over for years.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Last year, the budget process went into overtime as the two chambers fought over sales taxes and clashed with DeSantis.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
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For the next three years, American forces—including approximately 10,000 American Indian soldiers—along with troops from 15 other nations, fought to prevent a Communist takeover.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squabbled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squabbled. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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