altercation

noun

al·​ter·​ca·​tion ˌȯl-tər-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce altercation (audio)
: a noisy, heated, angry dispute
He got into several altercations with his boss.
also : noisy controversy
Choose the Right Synonym for altercation

quarrel, wrangle, altercation, squabble mean a noisy dispute usually marked by anger.

quarrel implies heated verbal contention, stressing strained or severed relations which may persist beyond the contention.

a quarrel nearly destroyed the relationship

wrangle suggests undignified and often futile disputation with a noisy insistence on differing opinions.

wrangle interminably about small issues

altercation implies fighting with words as the chief weapon, although it may also connote blows.

a loud public altercation

squabble stresses childish and unseemly dispute over petty matters, but it need not imply bitterness or anger.

a brief squabble over what to do next

Examples of altercation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The altercation was broken up by students and a faculty member, police have said. Jamiel Lynch and Leah Thomeer, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 And there was destruction of property: the thief broke one chain in half during an altercation with a clerk. Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024 The altercation also came amid growing complaints that the M.T.A. has not done enough to guarantee worker safety. Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 The death of a nonbinary teen who collapsed a day after an altercation at a high school in Owasso, Okla., has been ruled a suicide, according to a summary report released Wednesday by the state’s chief medical examiner. Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 In 2019, an off-duty LAPD officer fatally shot 32-year-old Kenneth French, who had a cognitive disability, during an altercation inside a Costco in Corona. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 The two had a previous altercation in which the suspect fired a gun in the air to scare his older brother away, police said. Paloma Chavez, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2024 This person told officers there had been physical altercations between Bradley and Christy, in which Bradley was choked. Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 29 Feb. 2024 His family is still trying to piece together what happened on the night of the altercation and are seeking out video footage from people who may have witnessed the fight. Corin Cesaric, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English altercacioun, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French altercacion, borrowed from Latin altercātiōn-, altercātiō, from altercārī, altercāre "to dispute vehemently, wrangle" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at altercate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of altercation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near altercation

Cite this Entry

“Altercation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/altercation. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

altercation

noun
al·​ter·​ca·​tion ˌȯl-tər-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce altercation (audio)
: a noisy or angry dispute

More from Merriam-Webster on altercation

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