fractious
adjective
frac·tious
ˈfrak-shəs 
1
: tending to be troublesome : unruly
a fractious crowd
2
: quarrelsome, irritable
a fractious political campaign
fractiously
adverb
fractiousness
noun
Did you know?
The Latin verb frangere means "to break or shatter" and is related to a few common words, which is evident in their meanings. Dishes that are fragile break easily. A person whose health is easily broken might be described as frail. A fraction is one of the many pieces into which a whole can be broken. But fraction also once meant "disharmony" or "discord"—that is, a "rupture in relations." From this noun sense came the adjective fractious.
Examples of fractious in a Sentence
The fractious crowd grew violent.
Recent Examples on the Web
Her fractious sister, Karlet, had been a favorite of their conversation.
—
Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
Unlike tariffs, which Trump seems to be able to conjure or dismiss unilaterally at a wave of his hand, a tax bill needs to pass through the different layers of the government and be agreed on by fractious politicians.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 22 May 2025
Any candidate will have to unify a fractious Democratic Party with low approval ratings and struggling to slow Trump’s agenda in Washington.
—Michael R. Blood, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
The relationship between writer and editor is fractious, tender, and ever-changing, with resentments and gratitude sloshing back and forth like a rooftop pool during an earthquake.
—Isle McElroy, Vulture, 21 May 2025
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Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
Unlike tariffs, which Trump seems to be able to conjure or dismiss unilaterally at a wave of his hand, a tax bill needs to pass through the different layers of the government and be agreed on by fractious politicians.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 22 May 2025
Any candidate will have to unify a fractious Democratic Party with low approval ratings and struggling to slow Trump’s agenda in Washington.
—Michael R. Blood, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
The relationship between writer and editor is fractious, tender, and ever-changing, with resentments and gratitude sloshing back and forth like a rooftop pool during an earthquake.
—Isle McElroy, Vulture, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fractious
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fractious. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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