factious

American  

[fak-shuhs] / ˈfæk ʃəs /

adjective

1. given to faction; dissentious.

   A factious group was trying to undermine the government.

   Synonyms:

   contentious, mutinous, disputatious, divisive

2. pertaining to or proceeding from faction.

   factious quarrels.

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factious British  

/ ˈfækʃəs /

adjective

1. given to, producing, or characterized by faction

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Other Word Forms

• factiously adverb
• factiousness noun
• nonfactious adjective
• nonfactiously adverb
• nonfactiousness noun
• overfactious adjective
• overfactiously adverb
• overfactiousness noun
• unfactious adjective
• unfactiously adverb

Etymology

Origin of factious

1525–35; from Latin factiōsus “fond of doing, busy, of a company or party,” equivalent to facti- ( faction ¹ ) + -ōsus -ous

Example Sentences

He believed that “ambition must be made to counter ambition,” and he denounced “the oppression of factious majorities.”

From Slate • Aug. 7, 2024

“We call on all Nigerien democratic patriots to stand up as one to say no to this factious action that tends to set us back decades and block the progress of our country,” he said.

From Washington Times • Jul. 27, 2023

“In a country that’s highly factious, it the factor that unites everyone,” Mark Jones, who studies Latin American politics at Rice University in Houston, told The Associated Press.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 17, 2022

Control of the factious LDP would allow Kishida three years to execute his programme before another election.

From Reuters • Jul. 11, 2022

To make things worse he found already in England another Frenchman more fascinating and more factious than himself, with whom he formed a close friendship.

From Henrietta Maria by Haynes, Henrietta