squabble
/ˈskwɑːbəl/noun, verb
squabble is spelled S-Q-U-A-B-B-L-E: 8 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 47,633rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, squabble means “A minor fight or argument” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of squabble is squabbles.
How many letters and syllables are in squabble?
| Letters | 8: S-Q-U-A-B-B-L-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 47,633rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is squabble?
Squabble appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 47,633rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce squabble?
- UK /ˈskwɒbəl/
- US /ˈskwɑːbəl/
Squabble has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-squabble.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with squabble?
2 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as squabble from its last stressed vowel (/ɑbəl/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of squabble
- squabbles plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- squabbling participle, present
- squabbled participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does squabble mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A minor fight or argument.
The children got into a squabble about who should ride in the front of the car.
- 2
A group of seagulls.
verb
- 1
To participate in a minor fight or argument; to quarrel.
The brothers were always squabbling with each other.
- 2
To disarrange, so that the letters or lines stand awry and require readjustment.
to squabble type
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Squabble in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | dispute, guéguerre, riotte , se chamailler |
| German | Rangelei, Gerangel, Disput , sich kabbeln, (sich) zanken |
| Spanish | disputilla, repique , repiquetear, discutir |
| Portuguese | brigar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does squabble come from?
The noun form first appears c. 1602, while the verbal form first appears c. 1616. Probably of North Germanic origin and ultimately imitative. Related to Swedish dialectal skvabbel (“a dispute, quarrel, gossip”), Norwegian dialectal skvabba (“to prattle”), German dialectal schwabbeln (“to babble, prattle”), Swedish dialectal skvappa (“to chide, scold”, literally “make a splash”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).