quarrelsome

[kwawr-uhl-suhm, kwor-] / ˈkwɔr əl səm, ˈkwɒr- /

ADJECTIVE

being disagreeable

Synonyms

STRONGEST

belligerent cantankerous combative contentious fractious litigious petulant tempestuous turbulent unruly

WEAK

argumentative bad-tempered bellicose brawling cat-and-dog choleric churlish crabby cross disputatious dissentious excitable fiery gladiatorial hasty have chip on shoulder hotheaded huffy impassioned irascible irritable ornery passionate peevish pettish pugnacious querulous ructious snappy thin-skinned touchy truculent violent war

Antonyms

STRONGEST

agreeable calm good-natured happy mild moderate nice obedient pleasant

WEAK

forgiving friendly patient

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The move is risky, and it will be quarrelsome — especially for those who still see Zendaya as an idyllic Disney star, despite her respectable penchant for complicated characters.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

Don't get me wrong, the tone of these discussions has always been quarrelsome and combative; more Lemme than Liszt.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

Much of the reason the Ripa-Consuelos team has been successful on TV is that they are enthusiastic, quarrelsome in an amusing way, but also intense.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 24, 2025

But in grieving his lost youth, he became quarrelsome and sometimes belligerent.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2024

Turner crawled away from the ledges and stood up unsteadily, as if the blast had loosened the granite beneath him and it was swaying with the quarrelsome waves.

From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt

Vocabulary lists containing quarrelsome

The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 4

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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone

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In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions

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