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.
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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.
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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.
Bickering or disinterested siblings and cousins often contribute to the demise of family associations with other famous companies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026
Bickering and jockeying abound, fueled by the mutually understood but outwardly denied reality that no one in the second generation is truly up to the task.
From New York Times • May 29, 2023
Bickering between rival groups has so far prevented economic reforms demanded by the international community in order to release billions of dollars of investments.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 12, 2022
Bickering couples have always been a television staple, and Peg’s delivery has roots in Alice Kramden’s sarcastic sparring in “The Honeymooners.”
From Washington Post • Oct. 11, 2018
Bickering and strife, dissension and hatred, grew fiercer with the growth of the nation's grandeur.
From Leah Mordecai by Abbott, Belle K. (Belle Kendrick)
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.
