wrangle 1 of 2

noun

Definition of wranglenext
as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions there was a bit of a wrangle over how much money to give the high school for its sports programs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

wrangle

2 of 2

verb

ˈraŋ-gəl How to pronounce wrangle (audio)
as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily a town meeting at which local residents wrangled for hours about property taxes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun wrangle contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of wrangle are altercation, quarrel, and squabble. While all these words mean "a noisy dispute usually marked by anger," wrangle suggests undignified and often futile disputation with a noisy insistence on differing opinions.

wrangle interminably about small issues

When could altercation be used to replace wrangle?

The synonyms altercation and wrangle are sometimes interchangeable, but altercation implies fighting with words as the chief weapon, although it may also connote blows.

a loud public altercation

When can quarrel be used instead of wrangle?

The words quarrel and wrangle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, quarrel implies heated verbal contention, stressing strained or severed relations which may persist beyond the contention.

a quarrel nearly destroyed the relationship

When would squabble be a good substitute for wrangle?

Although the words squabble and wrangle have much in common, 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

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 wrangle
Noun
The development in Florida comes as the Trump administration wrangles with the federal courts. —Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2025 While the former is filled with hope, the latter is more spiritual and wrangles with the unknown. —Derek Scancarelli, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
The White Peach 3-in-1 Dog Shampoo made the experience of wrangling wet dogs more enjoyable for me. —Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 May 2025 That experience was so harrowing that Sam pivoted to working on the Hill, wrangling congressional support for various military actions. —Sara Netzley, EW.com, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wrangle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrangle
  1. dispute
  2. bicker
  3. quarrel
  4. argue
  5. fight
  6. spat
  7. altercation
  8. disagreement
Noun
  • Phan was convicted of shooting up a high school graduation party after a dispute, killing an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old.
    — Greg Wehner , Bill Melugin, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2025
  • Officials from the United States and China met in London to talk about a range of different disputes that are separating them.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Definition of dispute
Verb
  • There’s a genuine brother-and-sister warmth between the Andy and Piper characters in Bring Her Back — and plenty of sibling bickering too.
    — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 30 May 2025
  • Yet a design challenge is a smart choice to assign this particular group of queens because that means locking them in the workroom to bicker between assembling garments.
    — Chris Feil, Vulture, 23 May 2025
Definition of bicker
Noun
  • Paramount Pictures Cohen et al. give a shoutout in their introduction to Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, specifically the longstanding quarrel between the people of Lilliput and Blefuscu on the best orientation for cracking an egg.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 26 May 2025
  • The whole saga, with Zelenskyy risking U.S. support through his quarrel with Trump before ultimately backing down, demonstrates how unprepared the Ukrainian leader was to engage with the new administration.
    — Evan Nierman, Baltimore Sun, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of quarrel
Verb
  • The Entertainment Union Coalition argues that the bill will also help retain the existing workforce, which otherwise would continue to erode.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 3 June 2025
  • Debates over existing recommendations Administration officials argue the shots are no longer necessary for healthy pregnant women, kids and younger adults under 65 because so many people have so much immunity at this point.
    — Rob Stein, NPR, 3 June 2025
Definition of argue
Noun
  • This is not the first time a fight has broken out at a Disney park.
    — Moná Thomas, People.com, 3 June 2025
  • Police responded to Catawba Valley Boulevard early in the morning on April 6, where shots had been fired into a crowd during a fight.
    — Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2025
Definition of fight
Verb
  • The first is that when U.S. soldiers returned from the war there, protesters spat upon them in disdain.
    — Jonathan Zimmerman, Foreign Affairs, 19 May 2016
  • The flare comes after nearly a week of flares and coronal plasma ejections spat toward the planet that threatened disruptions to power and communications systems on Earth.
    — Greg Wehner, Fox News, 15 May 2024
Definition of spat
Noun
  • The jail altercation has since escalated into a wider conflict between the Sheriff’s Office and the Broward State Attorney’s Office.
    — Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 7 June 2025
  • This wasn’t the first altercation to take place at one of Beyoncé’s recent shows.
    — Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
Definition of altercation
Noun
  • Ordinary disagreements are now seen as grounds to capriciously immiserate and ruin lives, and failing that, to intimidate state leaders into capitulation.
    — David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
  • In August 2021, Superfly terminated Mayers’ position at the company following internal disagreements with the three other co-founders of the entertainment company.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 10 June 2025
Definition of disagreement

Browse Nearby Words

wraiths
wrangle
wrangled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wrangle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrangle. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on wrangle

Nglish: Translation of wrangle for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

8 Words for the Wordy and Talking Too Much

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

8 Words for the Wordy and Talking Too Much

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All