1
as in contentious
given to disagreement or irritation
At the end of what was a fractious campaign, the two former rivals were surprisingly able to settle some of their differences and work together.
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2
as in wild
difficult to manage or control
Security guards were overwhelmed by the fractious crowd at the concert.
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Recent Examples of fractious
Its autocratic government brooks no dissent so decision-making should be easier than in fractious America and decisions should stick longer.
—
Bob Davis, Time, 12 Apr. 2025
Post-retreat, Johnson’s hopes of uniting the fractious GOP conference around a plan and his timeline appear dashed, writes The Hill’s Mychael Schnell.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 30 Jan. 2025
While friction on the trade front has been heating up, overall relations are somewhat less fractious.
—Time, 4 Apr. 2025
Its autocratic government brooks no dissent so decision-making should be easier than in fractious America and decisions should stick longer.
—Bob Davis, Time, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Bob Davis, Time, 12 Apr. 2025
Post-retreat, Johnson’s hopes of uniting the fractious GOP conference around a plan and his timeline appear dashed, writes The Hill’s Mychael Schnell.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 30 Jan. 2025
While friction on the trade front has been heating up, overall relations are somewhat less fractious.
—Time, 4 Apr. 2025
Its autocratic government brooks no dissent so decision-making should be easier than in fractious America and decisions should stick longer.
—Bob Davis, Time, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
-
Crawford says the meetings were contentious, but Ekard was always cordial yet firm.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 May 2025
-
That series has been contentious, dramatic and super close — Game 5 was decided by three points, Game 4 by one and Game 3 by two.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
His father, the lawyer and judge John Marshall Clemens, had sunk the family’s money into land in Tennessee, and though the plan went nowhere, the impulse toward wild speculation seems to have imprinted on young Samuel Langhorne Clemens.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
9 May 2025
-
The conversation soon shifted to a wild admission related to cosmetic procedures.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
Long a controversial figure, Brand has fallen out of public grace amid reports of alleged rape and assaults.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
-
Following his controversial decision to play the Lakers’ second-half starters for the entirety of Game 4 — a first in NBA playoff history — Redick defended the decision at his practice media availability and his pre-Game 5 availability.—
Jovan Buha,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Adjective
-
But beneath Pakistan’s drumbeat of defiant declarations as tensions erupt with India, a weary Pakistani public sees war as the last thing the country needs.—
Salman Masood,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
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Rank-and-file members of the Brotherhood already strike a defiant tone, vowing to continue to organize, protest, and voice criticism of both the Jordanian authorities and the war in Gaza.—
Taylor Luck,
Christian Science Monitor,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Still, Adams failed to outright ask the most important questions: Were Canadians ever willing to join the rebellious Thirteen Colonies?—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
12 May 2025
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Libra: Marge Simpson from The Simpsons Only a Libra mother could calmly and miraculously put up with the shenanigans that her three rebellious children cause.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
Although its people are not restive, Putin’s Russia is internally weak.—
ALEXANDER GABUEV,
Foreign Affairs,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Pakistani forces raid militant hideouts PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Pakistan's security forces raided two militant hideouts in the country's restive northwest on Saturday, triggering gunbattles that left at least two soldiers and nine militants dead, the military said in a statement.—
Compiled by Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports,
arkansasonline.com,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Reasonable limits on liability • Exclusions for gross negligence or willful misconduct Tip: Always read these clauses carefully and ask your attorney to explain them in plain English.—
Stephen Nalley,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
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As leaders of the lo-fi indie rock sound, the musicians remained something of a secret passed among fans, their air of willful inscrutability, ambivalence toward conventional success and general irreverence inspiring a dedicated faithful that has only grown over the years.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Add in at least $20 million to the athletics compensation pool via direct payments coming in the wake of the House settlement — the majority of which is ticketed for football at most P4 schools — and getting above $30 million isn’t unreasonable for a program like Ohio State or Texas.—
Sam Khan Jr.,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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Now, at full boil, travelers are increasingly complaining about an unreasonable lack of legroom and other basic comforts.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 15 May. 2025.
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