bickering

[ bik-er-ing ]
See synonyms for: bickeringbickerings on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. arguing petulantly or peevishly; wrangling or quarreling: To raise their daughter properly, the bickering pair must set aside their differences and work on their parenting skills.

  2. flickering: They deliberately hadn’t fixed the bickering light at the bistro, as it had become an iconic feature of the establishment.

  1. Literary. rushing or making a rushing sound, as water: The two flutes accompanied by piano sounded like two chirping birds chasing each other above a bickering stream.

noun
  1. the act of engaging in petulant or peevish argument: Why all this useless bickering over who's best or better?

  2. the act of flickering: If you’re bothered by the constant bickering of the malfunction light on your motorbike, do a thorough analysis of the wiring.

  1. Literary. the act of rushing or of making a rushing sound, as water: Over the roar of the falls and the ceaseless bickering of the rain, he heard another sound.

Origin of bickering

1
First recorded in 1275–1325; bicker1 + -ing2 for the adjective senses; bicker1 + -ing1 for the noun senses

Other words from bickering

  • un·bick·er·ing, adjective

Words Nearby bickering

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use bickering in a sentence

  • The bickering might have gone on the rest of the evening except that Barbara Sutton told them they were both being very foolish.

  • There was haggling and bickering until a price of sixty was agreed upon, and Mr. McCann's heart expanded with satisfaction.

    Scattergood Baines | Clarence Budington Kelland
  • There was nothing to distract him from the sordidness of the bickering household in George Street.

    The Life of Mazzini | Bolton King
  • "I saw you as I was coming away from Kendrick's last night," he began, with a bickering rasp in his voice.

    The Wreckers | Francis Lynde
  • Einstein was the only thinker in a century gone mad from bickering.

    Hunters Out of Space | Joseph Everidge Kelleam