factious

/fæk'tiʃəs/

Thân thiện

The committee remained factious, unable to reach a consensus.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Inclined to form factions or cause dissension: Describes a person, group, or attitude that promotes division within a larger organization, often through dissent and conflict.
   • Characterized by or arising from factional disagreement: Describes situations, debates, or atmospheres that are marked by internal strife and partisan conflict.

Usage

The adjective "factious" is used to describe people, groups, or their behavior when they are divisive and promote internal conflict, often by disagreeing with a majority opinion. It carries a negative connotation, implying disruption and self-interest over unity.

Examples

• The factious members of the committee blocked every proposal, making progress impossible.
• His factious rhetoric deepened the divisions within the political party.
• The debate became factious as personal attacks replaced substantive discussion.

Advanced Usage

• "Factious spirit": A mindset or attitude characterized by a tendency to create factions.
  • The leader's attempt to unify the group was thwarted by a persistent factious spirit among some veterans.
• "Factious opposition": Opposition that is based more on internal rivalry than on principle.
  • The policy failed not due to its merits but because of factious opposition from a rival clique.

Variants and Related Words

• Faction (n): A small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics.
  • The party split into several warring factions.
• Factionalism (n): The state or quality of being factional; conflict between factions.
  • The organization was weakened by internal factionalism.

Synonyms

• Divisive: Tending to cause disagreement or hostility between people.
• Seditious: Inciting resistance to or rebellion against lawful authority.
• Schismatic: Concerning or promoting schism (a split within a religious group).

Antonyms

• Unifying: Tending to combine or bring together.
• Harmonious: Free from disagreement or dissent.
• Consensual: Relating to or involving general agreement.

Related Phrases

• "To sow factious discord": To deliberately create divisions and conflict within a group.
  • The anonymous leaflets were designed to sow factious discord among the union members.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. dissenting (especially dissenting with the majority opinion)

Từ đồng nghĩa

• dissentious
• divisive