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
But its domestic political scene remains polarized and fractious, with presidents on both sides of the political divide often facing calls for impeachment and prosecution.
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Nectar Gan, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
While the first season was a slow burn, dwelling on the fractious politics of the era, the second ratchets up the pace considerably.
—Matt Kamen, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2024
Bills require a majority vote, so the defection of even a single Republican lawmaker in the fractious GOP caucus would be enough to torpedo any of Johnson’s legislative moves, assuming Democrats vote in lockstep against them.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Dec. 2024
Their government was a fractious race to the bottom, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, in which Argentina imposed one of the world’s strictest lockdowns.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fractious 
Nectar Gan, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
While the first season was a slow burn, dwelling on the fractious politics of the era, the second ratchets up the pace considerably.
—Matt Kamen, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2024
Bills require a majority vote, so the defection of even a single Republican lawmaker in the fractious GOP caucus would be enough to torpedo any of Johnson’s legislative moves, assuming Democrats vote in lockstep against them.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Dec. 2024
Their government was a fractious race to the bottom, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, in which Argentina imposed one of the world’s strictest lockdowns.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fractious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractious
Adjective
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If the appeals court ruling stands, the next chapter in the TikTok saga will likely unfold in the Supreme Court, where legal experts predict a contentious debate over the intersection of national security and free speech.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
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But Dead & Company have not shied from using their touring to platform more contentious causes.Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The audience goes wild when Foxx brings back some of his legendary characters and impersonations.Elizabeth Blair, NPR, 10 Dec. 2024
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What grief does to people is pretty wild to behold.Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The charter system itself, established in 2016, has been controversial, offering teams guaranteed spots in races and apparent financial stability.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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Assad’s regime was highly controversial across the world.Ross O'Keefe, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 8 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered a defiant speech last Wednesday, insisting that the Axis was alive and well.Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2024
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Only after defiant parliament members rushed into the National Assembly and voted unanimously to reject the order did Yoon reverse course, ending six chaotic hours, which saw protests erupt in the capital city.Dylan Butts, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Unconventional and futuristic, Aquarius pushes us to break free from tradition, encouraging bold, rebellious choices in our wardrobe.Valerie Mesa, People.com, 8 Dec. 2024
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The film follows a rebellious horse trainer named Tabitha who, after the death of her husband, tries to find some financial stability.Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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That restive beast on the edge of the Tiergarten would presumably expect nothing else.Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
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During that period, Ald. Edward Burke would introduce an alternative budget each fall — a move the restive City Council could theoretically try again this year, but has so far not undertaken.Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The district attorney’s office has charged Jones with one count of murder and one count of willful cruelty to a child causing possible injury or death.Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
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Under civil tax law, fraudulent returns or willful attempts to evade taxes allow the IRS to examine records indefinitely.Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.D., Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Left in the dust ‘Cruise’ driverless robot taxis are seen at a parking lot as California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) revokes its self-driving car permit and citing ‘unreasonable risk to public safety’ in San Francisco, California, USA on October 24, 2023.Kristian Burt, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
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To determine whether those amounts posed an unreasonable risk of harm, the agency compared them to a specific benchmark — the highest concentration of formaldehyde measured by government monitors in outdoor air between 2015 and 2020.Sharon Lerner and Al Shaw, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near fractious
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractious. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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