altercation
Americannoun
-
altercations
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of altercation
1350–1400; Middle English altercacioun < Latin altercātiōn- (stem of altercātiō ). See altercate, -ion
Explanation
Altercation is a nicer word for "quarrel," which is a nicer word for "fight." Fight is a simple, effective one-syllable word, while quarrel is a softer, two-syllable word, and altercation is a very civilized-sounding four-syllable word for the same uncivilized thing: a noisy argument between angry people. Someone who gets a black eye fighting for a parking spot might — after cooling down — describe the incident as an altercation rather than as a knock-down, drag-out brawl.
Vocabulary lists containing altercation
To Kill a Mockingbird
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Grade 9, List 3
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Ghost
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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:
Tole was 69 at the time of the altercation; Sanchez was 38.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
Cardiff Magistrates' Court heard the altercation came to light days later, after a video was published on Wales Online, filmed by a witness at a Texaco garage in the Pentwyn area of Cardiff.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Airline flydubai has said all the passengers -- of whom 166 out of 174 were Israeli, according to media reports -- were safe, but that the reasons for the altercation were unknown.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
Four others from the Bryant pit crew were also fined and put on probation because of their participation in a separate altercation after the conclusion of the second heat race at Martinsville.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
The officers we saw were all white, and they already knew about the altercation in the B-block yard.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
The former 87-cap fly-half described the game as one of the "big rivalries" for his side, but not because of any off-field altercations.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Some arguments and other altercations broke out in the stands as well as outside the stadium, according to footage posted on social media.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
As a result, the public has been kept from one of the chief ways it has to hold officers involved in such altercations accountable: their identity.
From Salon ● Feb. 2, 2026
Renee Nicole Good, a mother of a six year old, showed up with her wife and dog to film altercations between officers and community members.
From Slate ● Jan. 8, 2026
I was the boy with the altercations and the big file.
From "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
