EN

Synonyms for spat

  • verb
  • noun

Most common

squabble bicker dab

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Clap

clap, applaud, acclaim

2. Squabble

squabble, bicker, quarrel, dispute, wrangle, argument, have words, row, spar, quibble

Other

dab

Noun

1. Tiff

tiff informal, brawl, altercation, controversy, bickering, fuss, pettifoggery, fracas, feud, strife, contention, jangle, logomachy

Other

fender skirt US, gaiter

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To spawn, used of shellfish as above.

  2. v. 2

    To quarrel or argue pettily briefly.

  3. n. 1

    The spawn of shellfish, especially oysters and similar molluscs.

Forms

Plural
spats → tiffs, brawls, altercations, controversies…
Past participle
spatted
e.g. spatted → clapped, applauded, acclaimed, squabbled…

Example sentences

  • squabble The diplomatic squabble flared into an open war.
  • bicker The two siblings bicker without reason.
  • dab Kansas is smack dab in the middle of the US.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
spatrising
squabblerising
bickerrising
dabrising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters
row1, dab1
4 letters
fuss1, feud1, clap1, spar1, tiff1
5 letters
brawl1
6 letters
strife1, bicker2, fracas2, jangle2, gaiter2
7 letters
dispute2, applaud2, acclaim2, quarrel2, quibble2, wrangle2
8 letters
argument3, squabble2
9 letters
bickering3, logomachy
10 letters
contention3
11 letters
controversy4, altercation4
12 letters
pettifoggery

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (bicker2 = 2 syllables).