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bicker

/ˈbɪkər/
/ˈbɪkə/
IPA guide

Other forms: bickering; bickers; bickered

When you bicker, you argue in a petty way, like two kids squabbling in the backseat on a long car trip, or politicians taking cheap shots at each other but avoiding discussion of important issues.

It's impossible to bicker in a dignified way, as the word always suggests pettiness and an unpleasant experience for anyone within earshot. If, for instance, you've listened for years to your ill-tempered aunt from Boise bicker with your uncle from Dubuque over how the Thanksgiving turkey should be carved, you might want to book a trip to Tierra del Fuego and avoid the holiday altogether.

Definitions of bicker
  1. verb
    argue over petty things
    see moresee less
    type of:
    argue, contend, debate, fence
    have an argument about something
  2. noun
    a quarrel about petty points
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