fractious
adjective
frac·tious ˈfrak-shəs 
1
: tending to be troublesome : unruly
a fractious crowd
2
: quarrelsome, irritable
a fractious political campaign
fractiously adverb
fractiousness noun
Did you know?
The Latin verb frangere means "to break or shatter" and is related to a few common words, which is evident in their meanings. Dishes that are fragile break easily. A person whose health is easily broken might be described as frail. A fraction is one of the many pieces into which a whole can be broken. But fraction also once meant "disharmony" or "discord"—that is, a "rupture in relations." From this noun sense came the adjective fractious.
Example Sentences
The fractious crowd grew violent.
Recent Examples on the Web That’s why New York’s Democratic primaries Tuesday were so fractious and chaotic. 
Nicholas Riccardi, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2022 Sometimes cats who are particularly fractious — or short-tempered — need to be medicated or under anesthesia for vet technicians to clip their nails. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 6 July 2022 Britain, too, is mulling tough new measures, putting more pressure on prime minister Boris Johnson's standing with his fractious Conservative Party. Fortune, 20 Dec. 2021 The Inflation Reduction Act may be the balm for what’s ailed a fractious party that sparred over the Build Back Better Act. Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 20 Aug. 2022 Morrison doesn’t sugarcoat such fractious moments, but there’s not a gossipy or mean-spirited bone in her deeply felt show. Maryrose Wood, Variety, 12 Aug. 2022 What had begun as a set of techniques and approaches had become an identity, and what was once a diffuse coalition had hardened into a powerful but fractious constituency; the burden of leadership fell heavily on his shoulders. Gideon Lewis-kraus, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 Thus began a fractious partnership Pitts and Perkins have described in court documents. John Archibald | Jarchibald@al.com, al, 3 Aug. 2022 Those higher up the totem pole may become fractious to stop colleagues from advancing up the ranks. Satyen Sangani, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022 See More
Nicholas Riccardi, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2022 Sometimes cats who are particularly fractious — or short-tempered — need to be medicated or under anesthesia for vet technicians to clip their nails. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 6 July 2022 Britain, too, is mulling tough new measures, putting more pressure on prime minister Boris Johnson's standing with his fractious Conservative Party. Fortune, 20 Dec. 2021 The Inflation Reduction Act may be the balm for what’s ailed a fractious party that sparred over the Build Back Better Act. Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 20 Aug. 2022 Morrison doesn’t sugarcoat such fractious moments, but there’s not a gossipy or mean-spirited bone in her deeply felt show. Maryrose Wood, Variety, 12 Aug. 2022 What had begun as a set of techniques and approaches had become an identity, and what was once a diffuse coalition had hardened into a powerful but fractious constituency; the burden of leadership fell heavily on his shoulders. Gideon Lewis-kraus, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 Thus began a fractious partnership Pitts and Perkins have described in court documents. John Archibald | Jarchibald@al.com, al, 3 Aug. 2022 Those higher up the totem pole may become fractious to stop colleagues from advancing up the ranks. Satyen Sangani, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
fract(ion) (in sense "rupture, discord, breach of the peace") + -ious (after captious, factious)
First Known Use
1714, in the meaning defined at sense 1
fractious
adjective
1
as in contentious
given to disagreement or irritation At the end of what was a fractious campaign, the two former rivals were surprisingly able to settle some of their differences and work together. Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- contentious
- controversial
- quarrelsome
- feisty
- polemic
- disputatious
- combative
- pugnacious
- belligerent
- surly
- truculent
- restive
- bellicose
- polemical
- stubborn
- warlike
- fighting
- militant
- aggressive
- ornery
- scrappy
- intractable
- argumentative
- balky
- wayward
- recalcitrant
- battling
- uncooperative
- irritable
- fretful
- cantankerous
- gladiatorial
- warring
- insubordinate
- obstinate
- disobedient
- irascible
- testy
- peevish
- petulant
- disagreeable
- headstrong
- querulous
- obdurate
- splenetic
- refractory
- snappish
- pigheaded
- perverse
- mulish
- uncompromising
- unreasonable
- grouchy
- unbending
- dyspeptic
- ill-tempered
- captious
- contrary
- touchy
- grumpy
- bilious
- resistant
- waspish
- crabby
- unyielding
- choleric
- hardheaded
- cross
- cranky
- acidic
- huffy
- ill-humored
- self-willed
- froward
- wilful
- pettish
- willful
- ill-natured
- bearish
- self-opinionated
- rude
- snappy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- amiable
- pleasant
- friendly
- amicable
- cordial
- benevolent
- easygoing
- affable
- sociable
- genial
- peaceful
- peaceable
- gracious
- cooperative
- ingratiating
- pacific
- agreeable
- good-natured
- conciliatory
- good-tempered
- acquiescent
- amenable
- compliant
- complaisant
- docile
- tractable
- obedient
- complying
- submissive
- obliging
2
as in wild
difficult to manage or control Security guards were overwhelmed by the fractious crowd at the concert. Synonyms & Similar Words
- wild
- rebellious
- defiant
- restive
- unmanageable
- uncontrollable
- stubborn
- unreasonable
- willful
- rebel
- uncooperative
- restive
- unruly
- obstreperous
- intractable
- recalcitrant
- resistant
- ungovernable
- wayward
- balky
- uncooperative
- noncooperative
- insubordinate
- mischievous
- disobedient
- bad
- obstinate
- headstrong
- refractory
- contumacious
- obdurate
- uncompromising
- pigheaded
- mulish
- unbending
- disorderly
- unyielding
- recusant
- contrary
- hardheaded
- untoward
- incompliant
- froward
- wilful
- undisciplined
- naughty
- misbehaving
- errant
- self-willed
- monkeying
- self-opinionated
- monkeyish
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- amiable
- cooperative
- agreeable
- acquiescent
- deferential
- obliging
- behaved
- respectful
- polite
- dutiful
- disciplined
- yielding
- courteous
- subservient
- obsequious
- decorous
- slavish
- orderly
- proper
- servile
- governable
- docile
- well-bred
- mannerly
- tractable
- manageable
- obedient
- biddable
- controllable
- amenable
- submissive
- compliant
- conformable
- kowtowing
- trainable
- ruly
- never
- never a dull moment
- never again
- never batted an eye
- never cease to amaze
- never dream of
- never dreamt
- never ever
- never fear
- never for one moment
- never had it so good
- never hear the end of it
- never in a billion years
- never in a million years
- never in a thousand years
- never in someone's life
- never looked back
- never mind
- never miss a trick
- never say die
- never say never
- never so
- never so much as
- never the twain shall meet
- never the wiser