27 Idioms for Arguing
1. Lock horns
Meaning: To begin a fierce argument or dispute.
Example: The two senators locked horns during the debate.
Alternatives: Clash, butt heads, square off.
2. Butt heads
Meaning: To argue because of opposing views.
Example: Project managers often butt heads over resources.
Alternatives: Lock horns, clash, disagree strongly.
3. Clash
Meaning: Come into sharp conflict or argument.
Example: Their personalities clashed from day one.
Alternatives: Lock horns, conflict, collide.
4. Square off
Meaning: Prepare to argue or fight.
Example: The candidates squared off in the town hall.
Alternatives: Face off, lock horns, prepare to duel.
5. Face off
Meaning: Confront each other in a heated argument.
Example: Fans watched the coaches face off on live TV.
Alternatives: Square off, confront, go head-to-head.
6. Go head-to-head
Meaning: Engage in direct, often fierce argument or competition.
Example: The companies went head-to-head in court.
Alternatives: Face off, lock horns, duel.
7. Have a bone to pick
Meaning: Have a minor grievance to argue about.
Example: I’ve got a bone to pick about the late report.
Alternatives: Grievance, gripe, issue to discuss.
8. Pick a fight
Meaning: Deliberately start an argument.
Example: He picks fights over parking spaces.
Alternatives: Provoke, start trouble, stir the pot.
9. Stir the pot
Meaning: Instigate argument or trouble.
Example: Quit stirring the pot on group chat.
Alternatives: Rock the boat, fan flames, provoke.
10. Rock the boat
Meaning: Cause disruption or argument in a stable situation.
Example: She didn’t want to rock the boat before the vote.
Alternatives: Stir the pot, upset balance, make waves.
11. Fan the flames
Meaning: Intensify an existing argument or conflict.
Example: His tweet only fanned the flames.
Alternatives: Add fuel to the fire, escalate, provoke.
12. Add fuel to the fire
Meaning: Make an argument worse.
Example: Bringing up old grievances added fuel to the fire.
Alternatives: Fan the flames, escalate, inflame.
13. Inflame the situation
Meaning: Cause passions or conflict to intensify.
Example: His comments inflamed the situation.
Alternatives: Escalate, enrage, aggravate.
14. Blow up
Meaning: Suddenly argue or shout angrily.
Example: She blew up over the missed deadline.
Alternatives: Explode, lose temper, erupt.
15. Lose your temper
Meaning: Become very angry and start arguing.
Example: He lost his temper during the meeting.
Alternatives: Blow up, flare up, snap.
16. Flare up
Meaning: Argument or anger erupts suddenly.
Example: Tensions flared up again last night.
Alternatives: Ignite, erupt, blow up.
17. Snap
Meaning: Suddenly shout or argue from stress.
Example: She snapped when the Wi-Fi died.
Alternatives: Lose it, blow up, crack.
18. Cross swords
Meaning: Engage in verbal dispute or debate.
Example: The critics crossed swords on Twitter.
Alternatives: Lock horns, duel verbally, spar.
19. Spar
Meaning: Exchange light or practice arguments.
Example: They sparred over politics at brunch.
Alternatives: Banter, debate lightly, wrangle.
20. Wrangle
Meaning: Argue noisily or intricately.
Example: Lawyers wrangled over contract wording.
Alternatives: Dispute, argue, haggle.
21. Haggle
Meaning: Argue over terms or price.
Example: Tourists haggle at the market stalls.
Alternatives: Bargain, negotiate, wrangle.
22. Bicker
Meaning: Engage in petty, repeated arguments.
Example: Kids bicker over the remote daily.
Alternatives: Squabble, quarrel, spat.
23. Squabble
Meaning: Small, noisy argument about something minor.
Example: The puppies squabble over one toy.
Alternatives: Bicker, spat, tiff.
24. Spat
Meaning: Brief, petty argument.
Example: Their spat lasted five minutes.
Alternatives: Tiff, squabble, bicker.
25. Tiff
Meaning: Minor, short-lived quarrel.
Example: The couple had a tiff about dishes.
Alternatives: Spat, squabble, disagreement.
26. Quarrel
Meaning: Angry argument or disagreement.
Example: Neighbors quarrelled over the fence.
Alternatives: Argue, dispute, row.
27. Row (rhymes with cow)
Meaning: Noisy argument (chiefly UK).
Example: They had a loud row about money.
Alternatives: Quarrel, argument, shouting match.
Exercise to Practice – Arguing Idioms Quiz
Sources
- Cambridge Dictionary – Cambridge Idioms
- Merriam-Webster – MW Idioms
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries – Oxford Idioms
- IdiomExplorer corpus – IdiomExplorer