fractiousness
Tendency toward crankiness
Fractiousness is the quality of being irritable, unruly, or inclined to make trouble.
A fractious child whines and resists; a fractious committee bickers instead of deciding.
The word suggests persistent difficult behavior rather than a single outburst: The fractiousness of the coalition made governing impossible.
Inclined to dispute
- contentiousInclined toward disagreement
- combativeInclined toward conflict
- disputatiousFond of arguing
- antagonisticActively opposed or hostile
confrontational · pugnacious · truculent · belligerent · contrary · oppositional · disagreeable · difficult
Habitually fretful
- crankyIll-tempered and peevish
- testyShort-tempered, easily provoked
- grumpyIrritable in temperament
- irascibleProne to outbursts
petulant · fretful · touchy · snappish · cantankerous · grouchy · tetchy · cross
Unable to be still
- fidgetyNervously unable to settle
- antsyRestlessly eager or nervous
- impatientUnwilling to wait
- agitatedEmotionally disturbed, restless
unsettled · uneasy · squirmy · unquiet · fretful · skittish · rebellious · unruly
Cannot be anticipated
- mercurialProne to sudden change
- temperamentalEasily upset, unpredictable
- erraticLacking regularity or consistency
- capriciousSubject to sudden changes
unstable · explosive · combustible · turbulent · inflammatory · changeable · moody · fitful
argumentative
Inclined to dispute
- contentiousInclined toward disagreement
- combativeInclined toward conflict
- disputatiousFond of arguing
antagonistic · confrontational · pugnacious · truculent · belligerent · contrary · oppositional · disagreeable · difficult · uncooperative
peevish
Habitually fretful
irascible · petulant · fretful · touchy · snappish · cantankerous · grouchy · tetchy · cross · choleric
restless
Unable to be still
agitated · unsettled · uneasy · squirmy · unquiet · fretful · skittish · rebellious · unruly · unmanageable
unpredictable
Cannot be anticipated
- mercurialProne to sudden change
- temperamentalEasily upset, unpredictable
- erraticLacking regularity or consistency
capricious · unstable · explosive · combustible · turbulent · inflammatory · changeable · moody · fitful · inconstant
fractiousnesstractability
Readiness to be guided
docility · compliance · obedience · submissiveness · meekness
fractiousnessharmony
Agreement or musical blend
unity · concord · amicability · peacefulness · cohesion
fragment, fracture, fraction, fractious, fractional, infraction, refractory, refract, refraction