squabble

1 of 2

noun

squab·​ble ˈskwä-bəl How to pronounce squabble (audio)
Synonyms of squabble
: a noisy altercation or quarrel usually over petty matters

squabble

2 of 2

verb

squabbled; squabbling ˈskwä-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce squabble (audio)

intransitive verb

: to quarrel noisily and usually over petty matters
squabbler
ˈskwä-b(ə-)lər How to pronounce squabble (audio)
noun

Synonyms of squabble

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Noun

Verb

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Choose the Right Synonym for squabble

quarrel, wrangle, altercation, squabble mean a noisy dispute usually marked by anger.

quarrel implies heated verbal contention, stressing strained or severed relations which may persist beyond the contention.

a quarrel nearly destroyed the relationship

wrangle suggests undignified and often futile disputation with a noisy insistence on differing opinions.

wrangle interminably about small issues

altercation implies fighting with words as the chief weapon, although it may also connote blows.

a loud public altercation

squabble stresses childish and unseemly dispute over petty matters, but it need not imply bitterness or anger.

a brief squabble over what to do next

Examples of squabble in a Sentence

Noun frightened by noise of the squabble, the cat hid under the couch Verb The children were squabbling over the toys. the children squabbled loudly over who got to play with the toy first
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Sleep was beginning to finally visit the insomniacs and drunkards of T—in central Manila when a commotion louder than the usual domestic squabbles erupted from the room above Mang Calixto’s bakery. — Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026 Stephen Colbert’s award-winning Late Show was canceled in a move that many have labeled political appeasement, and the flagship evening newscast baselessly recast the January 6 insurrection as a partisan squabble. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
The squabbling banter between the two is priceless, even endearing. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 28 July 2026 The Greek myths are rife with petty and meddlesome deities squabbling, playing favorites, punishing harshly, and otherwise wreaking havoc on the lives of mortal men. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for squabble

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect skvabbel dispute

First Known Use

Noun

1602, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of squabble was in 1602

Rhymes for squabble

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Browse Nearby Words

squabbish
squabble
squabbler
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Cite this Entry

“Squabble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squabble. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

squabble

1 of 2 noun
squab·​ble ˈskwäb-əl How to pronounce squabble (audio)
: a noisy quarrel usually over unimportant things

squabble

2 of 2 verb
squabbled; squabbling ˈskwäb-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce squabble (audio)
: to quarrel noisily for little or no reason : wrangle
squabbler
-(ə-)lər How to pronounce squabble (audio)
noun

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Nglish: Translation of squabble for Spanish Speakers

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