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

Chancellor Olaf Scholz plans to lay out how he and his quarrelsome governing coalition aim to fix things in a speech to parliament Tuesday.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 27, 2023

The officer in front swung his head around swiftly with a quarrelsome expression.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Vocabulary lists containing quarrelsome

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