squabble

squabble — verb

1. to have a noisy argument with someone about a topic that is unimportant, usually

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to have a noisy argument with someone about a topic that is unimportant, usually lasting only a short time

Example

The children squabbled over who would sit in the front seat of the car.

squabble + over + noun phrase (the subject of disagreement)

Minho and his sister were squabbling about which TV show to watch.

past continuous: were squabbling + about

Common collocations
  • squabble endlessly
  • squabble bitterly
  • squabble loudly
  • squabble over nothing
  • stop squabbling
Synonyms
  • bicker

    very similar in meaning; bickering often suggests repeated, ongoing petty arguments, while squabbling can be a single episode

  • quarrel

    more general and can be about serious issues; does not carry the 'trivial' meaning by itself

  • argue

    the most general term; covers everything from calm discussion to heated disagreement, and the topic may be important

  • wrangle

    more formal; suggests a prolonged, noisy dispute, often over practical matters like money

Antonyms
  • agree

    the opposite action — reaching a shared view instead of disagreeing

  • make peace

    the opposite resolution — ending the disagreement rather than continuing it

Grammar Patterns

squabble + over/about + noun phrase

squabble + with + someone

stop squabbling + and + verb

Usage Note

Often used in continuous tenses (were squabbling, keep squabbling) because the action is typically repetitive or ongoing during the disagreement. The subject of the disagreement is introduced by 'over' or 'about', and the other person by 'with'.

Common Mistakes

The two countries squabbled over the border.
The two countries argued over the border.
squabble is only used for unimportant matters; border disputes are too serious for this word.
He squabbled me about the price.
He squabbled with me about the price.
squabble is intransitive; you must use 'with' before mentioning the other person.

squabble — noun

Word family

  • squabbling
    nounC1
  • squabbler
    nounC1
  • squabbly
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Squabble and bicker both describe arguments over trivial matters, but bickering often suggests repeated, ongoing petty conflicts between the same people over time (like a couple who bicker every morning), while a squabble is usually a single, short-lived episode. Argue is the most general term — it covers everything from a calm discussion to a heated exchange and does not imply that the topic is unimportant. Quarrel suggests a more serious or emotional dispute than squabble, often involving personal feelings or a breakdown in a relationship. Wrangle is more formal and implies a prolonged, noisy argument, typically about practical matters like money or rules. For example, siblings might squabble about the TV remote, but they would quarrel over a broken promise. Business partners might wrangle over a contract, but they would not squabble about it, since the stakes are too high.

squabble ↗bickerquarrel ↗argue ↗wrangle

Common collocations

Nouns

  • children
  • siblings
  • neighbours
  • colleagues
  • couples
  • kids

Adverbs

Phrases

  • have a squabble
  • get into a squabble
  • a squabble over nothing
  • stop squabbling

Prepositions

Etymology

GermanicEnglish

First recorded in English in the early 1600s. It probably comes from the sound of a noisy, confused argument — an example of onomatopoeia, where the word imitates the thing it describes. Related words exist in Swedish (skvabbel, meaning 'a quarrel') and German (schwabbeln, meaning 'to babble').