fractious
adjective
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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.
Examples of fractious in a Sentence
Elizabeth Williamson, New York Times, 25 May 2024
On the other hand Sunak was chosen by the Conservatives in October 2022 to lead after a fractious leadership election process.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for fractious 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fractious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fractious
Cite this Entry
“Fractious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fractious. Accessed 31 May. 2024.
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