bickering

[bik-er-ing]

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.

3. 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.

3. 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.

Other Word Forms

• unbickering adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bickering¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; bicker ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; bicker ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses

Example Sentences

The two are constantly bickering about everything, and occasionally he breaks a door into splinters, though he never raises a hand against her.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Macron had been wielding the unspoken threat of dissolving the National Assembly and holding parliamentary elections after his latest prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, abruptly resigned Monday amid bickering over his cabinet choices.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

“Every once in a while on the court, you’ll hear, like, the bickering from a sister standpoint, you know what I mean?”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Then the show’s correspondents clumsily formed a chorus of praise that collapsed into bickering, which halted when Ronny Chieng told everyone, “Calm down . . . God, is this your first dictator?”

Read more on Salon

Playing outlaws on the run, cornered men whose time had passed, bickering and bantering like an old married couple who can’t imagine a life without each other, they’re perfect together.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• altercation 
• argument 
• brawl 
• controversy 
• difference 
• difference of opinion www.thesaurus.com
• discord 
• dispute 
• dissension 
• disturbance 
• falling-out 
• feud 
• fracas 
• misunderstanding 
• row 
• ruckus 
• run-in 
• spat 
• squabble 
• strife