quarrel
1 Americannoun
-
an angry dispute or altercation; a disagreement marked by a temporary or permanent break in friendly relations.
- Synonyms:
- fight, difference, controversy, contention, argument
-
a cause of dispute, complaint, or hostile feeling.
She has no quarrel with her present salary.
verb (used without object)
-
quarrels,
present (3rd person singular)
-
quarreled,
past participle, past
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quarrelled,
past participle, past (especially British)
-
quarreling,
present participle
-
quarrelling
present participle (especially British)
noun
-
a square-headed bolt or arrow, formerly used with a crossbow.
-
Also a small, square or diamond-shaped pane of glass, as used in latticed windows.
-
any of various tools with pyramidal heads.
noun
-
an angry disagreement; argument
-
a cause of disagreement or dispute; grievance
verb
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to engage in a disagreement or dispute; argue
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to find fault; complain
noun
-
an arrow having a four-edged head, fired from a crossbow
-
a small square or diamond-shaped pane of glass, usually one of many in a fixed or casement window and framed with lead
Synonym Usage
Quarrel, dissension refer to disagreement and conflict. Quarrel applies chiefly to a verbal disagreement between individuals or groups and is used with reference to a large variety of situations, from a slight and petty difference of opinion to a violent altercation: It was little more than a domestic quarrel. Their quarrel led to the barroom brawl. Dissension usually implies a profound disagreement and bitter conflict. It also applies chiefly to conflict within a group or to members of the same group: dissension within the union; dissension among the Democrats.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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quarrelsimple
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quarrelssimple
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have quarreledperfect
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have quarrelledperfect
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has quarreledperfect
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has quarrelledperfect
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am quarrelingprogressive
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am quarrellingprogressive
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are quarrelingprogressive
-
are quarrellingprogressive
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is quarrelingprogressive
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is quarrellingprogressive
-
have been quarrelingperfect progressive
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have been quarrellingperfect progressive
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has been quarrelingperfect progressive
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has been quarrellingperfect progressive
Past
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quarreledsimple
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quarrelledsimple
-
had quarreledperfect
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had quarrelledperfect
-
was quarrelingprogressive
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was quarrellingprogressive
-
were quarrelingprogressive
-
were quarrellingprogressive
-
had been quarrelingperfect progressive
-
had been quarrellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of quarrel1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English querele, from Old French, from Latin querēla, querella “complaint,” noun derivative of querī “to complain”
Origin of quarrel2
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English quarel, from Old French, from Medieval Latin quadrellus, diminutive of Latin quadrus “square”
Explanation
To quarrel is to fight — but usually not physically. Quarreling is a fact of life, occurring between the best of friends, in the happiest of marriages, and between parents and their children. You’re probably familiar with the verb, quarrel, meaning having a disagreement. When there’s a quarrel, there’s anger. As a noun, quarrel, refers to the square-headed arrow shot from crossbow. This meaning of the word comes from the Old French quarel, relating to "square.” If you are quarreling, just don't reach for your crossbow and quarrel.
Vocabulary lists containing quarrel
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act IV
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40 SAT words Beginning with "Q"
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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.
See Examples For:
There’s an assumption that the second half is Shakespeare’s, but scholars continue to quarrel over attribution.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
As exercises in ordinary language, those analogies are difficult to quarrel with.
From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2026
"Cuba has no quarrel with the United States. We do have the need and the right to protect ourself. But we are willing to sit down," Fernandez de Cossio said.
From Barron's ● Mar. 22, 2026
Maksim, eight, lists everything he has learnt in his patriotic education lessons: about great Russian poets and painters, about friendship and how not to quarrel.
From BBC ● Mar. 20, 2026
He would not even have known that Mr. Richard was involved in the quarrel if Harrison had not told him.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Throughout our history, major domestic quarrels have erupted over economics: the prairie rebellion of the 1890s, the Progressive era, the New Deal.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
Ms. Wilde and Mr. Rogen’s fast-paced, zig-zagging, slightly crazy quarrels create the sense that these two people have known each other for a very long time and have a special talent for mutual aggravation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
To avoid any quarrels, I suggest timing any stock sale, with the beneficiaries’ cooperation, so that no one inadvertently misses out on a dividend payment.
From MarketWatch ● May 21, 2026
We would say the solution starts with people power, not more academic quarrels.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2024
And thus, from the ambitions of the priests are born the disorders and the quarrels among the barons.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
The Po, too, was not immune to war, especially in the 16th century, when neighboring France, Switzerland and the Vatican quarreled over ownership of crucial crossroads to Milan and other parts of Italy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Instead of bold action, English said, European leaders have quarreled over internal divisions and rivalries.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2026
Some San Cristóbal residents have even quarreled with Spanish-language professors and authorities at the Canarian Language Academy who contend that this way of speaking equates to nothing more than a linguistic game.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 12, 2023
Given the circumstances, ZTF and Trice could have bickered and quarreled and broken apart.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 30, 2023
He had quarreled again with Black Dog—over what, no one knew, but Black Dog had walked out in a huff.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
During a two-day sentencing hearing lawyers quarrelled over aggravating factors.
From BBC ● May 13, 2025
But it has quarrelled with neighbours and allies since taking power.
From Reuters ● Sep. 14, 2022
In many of these cases, passengers have quarrelled with their flight attendants over mask use.
From Slate ● Jun. 8, 2021
Here, in the legendary birthplace of AI, they quarrelled over what to call their still-slumbering creation.
From Nature ● Oct. 1, 2019
“I did, but we quarrelled so much it wore itself out.”
From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway
Written by Mr. Carney and Peter McDonald, who also contributes a funny supporting turn as one of Rick’s band mates, it stumbles into a bog of bitterness, quarreling and unseemly behavior.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
A decade later, Demme would suffer similar strife on the set of “Beloved,” quarreling with Oprah Winfrey over aspects of characterization in the supernatural slavery epic.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2025
The quarreling threatens to undermine conservation goals because all decisions must be unanimous.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 13, 2023
Police said they didn’t know if the girl, who was a DuVal student, was involved with either of the quarreling groups.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 12, 2023
“I told her after I left the building that if she would return to me and stop her quarreling we would live together again, but she refused to come back.”
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
According to the police, "there was a tense atmosphere and some quarrelling".
From Barron's ● May 16, 2026
If a siinqee stick is placed on the ground by a married woman between two quarrelling parties, it means the conflict must stop immediately out of respect.
From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2025
The quarrelling neighbors haven’t met in a test series in 16 years and one-day international and Twenty20 series in 10 years.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 13, 2023
When asked about a possible meeting with the Syrian leader, Erdogan said, there was no eternal resentment or quarrelling in politics, according to a readout of comments he made during his flight back from Bali.
From Reuters ● Nov. 17, 2022
This door was open; a light shone out of the room within: I heard thence a snarling, snatching sound, almost like a dog quarrelling.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
