squabble
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
- squabbler noun
- squabblingly adverb
- unsquabbling adjective
Etymology
Origin of squabble
1595–1605; probably < Scandinavian; compare Swedish dialect skvabbel a quarrel, gossip, Norwegian dialect skvabba to prattle
Explanation
A squabble is a fight but not necessarily a serious one. When we squabble, we have a little argument, probably about something not too important. Do you notice how squabble sounds kind of funny? That's a clue that a squabble is not the most serious kind of argument or fight. A loud, screaming fight would never be called a squabble. A small, silly discussion about something small or trivial is more of a squabble. Friends and family members squabble all the time.
Vocabulary lists containing squabble
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
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100 SAT words Beginning with "S"
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The Sea of Monsters
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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.
The lawsuit said the plaintiff has suffered “severe emotional distress, including anxiety, humiliation, loss of standing in his community and harm to his professional relationships” as a result of his squabble with Ye.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
Shell’s departure from Paramount was expected regardless of the Cipriani squabble, people familiar with the matter said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
There was a time when the public picked a team in the Murdoch family’s squabble.
From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026
And like in any squabble, there will be a winner and a loser.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 25, 2026
Jake and the two operators had a squabble.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
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.
