fractious

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.

Through sheer force of will, and despite several attempts on his life, President de Gaulle held his fractious country together and established an independent foreign policy, much to the annoyance of the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Attorneys for the tech titans hit back, saying in opening statements Monday and Tuesday that Kaley’s troubled home life and her fractious relationship with her family were to blame for her suffering, not the platforms.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

Marseille scored in the opening minutes of each half to book a place in the quarter-finals of the French Cup with a scrappy, at times fractious, 3-0 victory over visiting Rennes on Tuesday.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

The maneuverings of larger powers in our fractious world would likely make a mockery of their claimed autonomy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

Lawrence, for his part, was inclined to call Teller’s bluff, for his putative partner was already proving entirely too fractious for his taste.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik