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

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?”

From 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.

From Los Angeles Times

“The way our parents raised us, that family is absolutely everything … there is no bickering, there is no animosity,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

It came after many years of solo releases and very public bickering from the estranged Gallaghers.

From BBC

The first minister took over after months of bickering within her party.

From BBC

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