Synonyms for quarrelsome
- adjective
All synonyms
Adjective
pugnacious, belligerent, bellicose, contentious, argumentative, truculent, irascible, litigious, choleric, querulous, irritable, factious, combative, fractious, antagonistic, petulant, brawling, cross, disputatious formal, logomachic, unpacific, squabblesome, arguesome, peevish, cantankerous, warlike, testy, cranky, disputative formal
Definitions
- adj. 1
Argumentative; fond of or prone to quarreling.
She's too quarrelsome to participate in a civil conversation.
Related words
- Is a kind of
- enthusiastic eristic passionate
Example sentences
- contentious Religion is a contentious topic for many people.
- belligerent She flaunts a belligerent attitude.
- bellicose Such a bellicose attitude won't win you any friends.
- pugnacious Sami was a pugnacious businessman.
- argumentative Fadil became very difficult and argumentative.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| quarrelsome | steady | |
| contentious | rising | |
| belligerent | steady | |
| bellicose | steady | |
| pugnacious | steady | |
| argumentative | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- cross1, testy2
- 6 letters
- cranky2
- 7 letters
- warlike2, peevish2
- 8 letters
- petulant3, brawling2, choleric3, factious
- 9 letters
- irritable4, combative3, litigious3, bellicose3, irascible4, fractious2, truculent3, querulous3, unpacific, arguesome
- 10 letters
- pugnacious3, logomachic
- 11 letters
- contentious3, belligerent4, disputative
- 12 letters
- antagonistic5, cantankerous4, disputatious, squabblesome
- 13 letters
- argumentative5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (testy2 = 2 syllables).