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

YouTube and Disney spent weeks bickering over distribution fees.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Amid partisan bickering over the government shutdown, Senate Republicans are still doing some useful work that could help Americans and the U.S. economy.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

New England’s preferred football pastime became bickering over who was more responsible for the glory days: the stern faced coach or the handsome QB.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It’s not just a matter of gathering a bunch of bickering survivors inside a besieged location — here it’s a converted Bushwick warehouse — while the outside world goes to hell.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In an era of cable news grifting, bickering and blatant bigotry, progressive voices like these are a breath of fresh air.

Read more on Salon

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