Meaning & use

altercation

noun·Academic

A noisy or angry argument or disagreement, sometimes involving physical conflict.

See it in a sentence

The two drivers got into a heated altercation after the minor collision.

Police were called to break up an altercation outside the nightclub.

A note on using this word

More formal than fight or argument, often used in news reports or legal contexts.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

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