bickering
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
flickering.
They deliberately hadn’t fixed the bickering light at the bistro, as it had become an iconic feature of the establishment.
-
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
-
the act of engaging in petulant or peevish argument.
Why all this useless bickering over who's best or better?
-
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.
-
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
Etymology
Origin of bickering
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"There were clearly arguments, bickering, clearly issues about long hours at work."
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
Once such disdain for a settlement becomes possible, the SEC’s ability to set a clear standard for future conduct is greatly compromised, and continuing bickering becomes likely after any settlement.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026
The outcome had largely been expected to come down to which of the bickering billionaires the jury would believe.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
But despite Segel and Weaver’s best efforts, they can’t make this bickering duo deliciously awful, the characters proving more grating than hilariously combustible.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
As they forget about me and fall into bickering, I quietly review what data I can see about each of them.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
