fractious

[ frak-shuhs ]
/ ˈfræk ʃəs /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR fractious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

refractory or unruly: a fractious animal that would not submit to the harness.
readily angered; peevish; irritable; quarrelsome: an incorrigibly fractious young man.

QUIZZES

IS YOUR VOCABULARY AS STRONG AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT? TRY THIS QUIZ TO SEE!

It may seem like fun and games but this quiz that uses vocab from popular stories will determine how much you know.
Question 1 of 10
disgruntle
to deprive of ability, qualification, or strength
to put into a state of sulky dissatisfaction
to make repayment or return for (service, benefits, etc.)
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of fractious

First recorded in 1715–25; fracti(on) + -ous

OTHER WORDS FROM fractious

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH fractious

factious, fractious .

Words nearby fractious

fractionate, fractionating column, fractionation, fractionator, fractionize, fractious, fractocumulus, fractostratus, fracture, fracture by contrecoup, fracture zone
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to fractious

testy, unruly, recalcitrant, irritable, unmanageable, restive, awkward, captious, crabby, disorderly, fretful, froward, huffy, indomitable, intractable, mean, ornery, peevish, perverse, petulant

Example sentences from the Web for fractious

British Dictionary definitions for fractious

fractious
/ (ˈfrækʃəs) /

adjective

irritable
unruly

Derived forms of fractious

fractiously, adverbfractiousness, noun

Word Origin for fractious

C18: from (obsolete) fraction discord + -ous

usage for fractious

Fractious is sometimes wrongly used where factious is meant: this factious (not fractious) dispute has split the party still further
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012