bickering

1 of 2

noun

bick·​er·​ing ˈbi-k(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce bickering (audio)
: petty and petulant quarreling especially when prolonged or habitual
… said his own bosses, through their persistent bickering, had made his job practically impossible.Ronald Scott
also, bickerings plural : instances of such quarreling
was tired of listening to their endless bickerings

bickering

2 of 2

adjective

: engaging in or characterized by petty and petulant quarreling
a bickering couple
bickering politicians

Examples of bickering in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In some cases, the two emulate the banter and bickering of their on-screen personas, Grace and Frankie. Makena Gera, Peoplemag, 16 June 2024 Luka makes a statement Most of the conversation following the Mavs’ defeat in Game 3 revolved around the lack of defense from Doncic and his constant bickering with the officials. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 June 2024
Adjective
The eurozone, an ungainly cross between an economic federation and a bickering assemblage of proud nation-states, will be slower to exploit the new opportunities. Sebastian Mallaby, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2020 From the first episode of the show, when Lewis’ version of himself screams at David’s heightened version of himself for not liking his girlfriend, the men are the bickering old marrieds that the show deserved. Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bickering 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bickering.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1573, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1811, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bickering was in 1573

Dictionary Entries Near bickering

Cite this Entry

“Bickering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bickering. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.

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!