From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishargumentar‧gu‧ment /ˈɑːɡjəmənt $ ˈɑːr-/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 
[countable]ARGUE a situation in which two or more people disagree, often angrilyargument with She had a big argument with her husband.argument about/over There have been a lot of arguments about who was responsible for the accident.2 [countable]REASON a set of reasons that show that something is true or untrue, right or wrong etc We need to provide a convincing argument as to why the system should be changed.argument for/against a powerful argument against smoking A good argument can be made for comparing the IT revolution with the invention of writing itself.argument in favour of the arguments in favour of banning tobacco advertisingargument that the familiar argument that the costs outweigh the benefits3 [uncountable]DISAGREE when you disagree with something or question whether it is rightdo something without (further) argument Ian accepted the suggestion without argument.for the sake of argument (=in order to discuss all the possibilities) If, for the sake of argument, you aren’t offered the job, what will you do?COLLOCATIONSverbshave an argumentI could hear my parents having an argument downstairs.get into an argument/become involved in an argumentShe didn’t want to get into another argument about money.I left to avoid becoming involved in an argument.start/cause an argumentHe was deliberately trying to start an argument.Money often causes arguments.avoid an argumentI was anxious to avoid an argument.win/lose an argumentThe party hopes to win the argument about how to reform the health system.The first one who resorts to violence is usually the one who’s lost the argument. an argument breaks out (=it starts)The men were drunk and an argument soon broke out.an argument erupts (=a big argument suddenly starts)A bitter argument erupted between the brothers over who should inherit the money.adjectivesa big/huge/massive argumentThere was a big argument about whether we should move to a new house. a heated argument (=involving very strong feelings)Someone was having a heated argument with a police officer.a bitter argumentThere are bitter arguments about whether he was a hero or a war criminal.a furious/fierce argumentAs soon as she had gone a furious argument broke out. a violent argumentThe singer was hurt in a violent argument with her husband. THESAURUSargument a situation in which people speak angrily to each other because they disagree about somethingan argument between two drivers over who had right of wayA 29-year-old man was shot and killed today after an argument over a gambling debt.row /raʊ/ British English, fight especially American English a loud angry argument with someone, especially your boyfriend, girlfriend, or someone in your family. Row is also used about a serious disagreement between politicians about important public issuesThere were always fights between my parents.the continuing row over tax increasesA few months ago they had a big row, and Steve drove off and spent the weekend in London.disagreement a situation in which people disagree with each other, but without shouting or getting angryThere were the occasional disagreements about money, but mostly we got on well.Ginny had left the company after a disagreement with her boss.quarrel especially British English an argument, especially one in which people get angry and that lasts a long time. Quarrel sounds more formal and more serious than argument or rowa bitter family quarrelfeud /fjuːd/ a very bitter argument between two groups, especially families, which lasts for many years and causes people to hate each otherThe feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys raged for 20 years.dispute a public or legal argument about something, especially one which continues for a long timeMorris has been involved in a long legal dispute with his publisher.The settlement will resolve a long-running dispute over the country’s nuclear program.war/battle of words an argument in which two people or groups criticize each other continuously in publicThe war of words over construction delays at the airport has erupted again.bust-up British English informal a very bad argument, especially one in which people decide to separate from each otherHe had a bust-up with the team manager.shouting match an angry argument in which people shout at each otherHe got into a shouting match with another driver.slanging match British English informal an argument in which people insult each otherHe was sacked after a slanging match with a colleague.an argument that is not very serioussquabble /ˈskwɒbəl $ ˈskwɑː-/ an argument about something that is not importantThere were the usual squabbles between brothers and sisters.Voters are tired of petty squabbles between party leaders.tiff informal an argument that is not very serious, between people who are in loveGary had a bit of a tiff with his girlfriend.misunderstanding a slight argument – a rather formal word which is often used humorouslyThere was a slight misunderstanding over the bill, but everything’s been sorted out now.skirmish a short argument, especially between politicians or sports opponentsEvans and O'Brien had several political skirmishes.
[countable]ARGUE a situation in which two or more people disagree, often angrilyargument with She had a big argument with her husband.argument about/over There have been a lot of arguments about who was responsible for the accident.2 [countable]REASON a set of reasons that show that something is true or untrue, right or wrong etc We need to provide a convincing argument as to why the system should be changed.argument for/against a powerful argument against smoking A good argument can be made for comparing the IT revolution with the invention of writing itself.argument in favour of the arguments in favour of banning tobacco advertisingargument that the familiar argument that the costs outweigh the benefits3 [uncountable]DISAGREE when you disagree with something or question whether it is rightdo something without (further) argument Ian accepted the suggestion without argument.for the sake of argument (=in order to discuss all the possibilities) If, for the sake of argument, you aren’t offered the job, what will you do?COLLOCATIONSverbshave an argumentI could hear my parents having an argument downstairs.get into an argument/become involved in an argumentShe didn’t want to get into another argument about money.I left to avoid becoming involved in an argument.start/cause an argumentHe was deliberately trying to start an argument.Money often causes arguments.avoid an argumentI was anxious to avoid an argument.win/lose an argumentThe party hopes to win the argument about how to reform the health system.The first one who resorts to violence is usually the one who’s lost the argument. an argument breaks out (=it starts)The men were drunk and an argument soon broke out.an argument erupts (=a big argument suddenly starts)A bitter argument erupted between the brothers over who should inherit the money.adjectivesa big/huge/massive argumentThere was a big argument about whether we should move to a new house. a heated argument (=involving very strong feelings)Someone was having a heated argument with a police officer.a bitter argumentThere are bitter arguments about whether he was a hero or a war criminal.a furious/fierce argumentAs soon as she had gone a furious argument broke out. a violent argumentThe singer was hurt in a violent argument with her husband. THESAURUSargument a situation in which people speak angrily to each other because they disagree about somethingan argument between two drivers over who had right of wayA 29-year-old man was shot and killed today after an argument over a gambling debt.row /raʊ/ British English, fight especially American English a loud angry argument with someone, especially your boyfriend, girlfriend, or someone in your family. Row is also used about a serious disagreement between politicians about important public issuesThere were always fights between my parents.the continuing row over tax increasesA few months ago they had a big row, and Steve drove off and spent the weekend in London.disagreement a situation in which people disagree with each other, but without shouting or getting angryThere were the occasional disagreements about money, but mostly we got on well.Ginny had left the company after a disagreement with her boss.quarrel especially British English an argument, especially one in which people get angry and that lasts a long time. Quarrel sounds more formal and more serious than argument or rowa bitter family quarrelfeud /fjuːd/ a very bitter argument between two groups, especially families, which lasts for many years and causes people to hate each otherThe feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys raged for 20 years.dispute a public or legal argument about something, especially one which continues for a long timeMorris has been involved in a long legal dispute with his publisher.The settlement will resolve a long-running dispute over the country’s nuclear program.war/battle of words an argument in which two people or groups criticize each other continuously in publicThe war of words over construction delays at the airport has erupted again.bust-up British English informal a very bad argument, especially one in which people decide to separate from each otherHe had a bust-up with the team manager.shouting match an angry argument in which people shout at each otherHe got into a shouting match with another driver.slanging match British English informal an argument in which people insult each otherHe was sacked after a slanging match with a colleague.an argument that is not very serioussquabble /ˈskwɒbəl $ ˈskwɑː-/ an argument about something that is not importantThere were the usual squabbles between brothers and sisters.Voters are tired of petty squabbles between party leaders.tiff informal an argument that is not very serious, between people who are in loveGary had a bit of a tiff with his girlfriend.misunderstanding a slight argument – a rather formal word which is often used humorouslyThere was a slight misunderstanding over the bill, but everything’s been sorted out now.skirmish a short argument, especially between politicians or sports opponentsEvans and O'Brien had several political skirmishes. Examples from the Corpus
argument• A 29-year-old man was shot and killed today after an argument over a gambling debt.• I'm sorry I'm not in a good mood. I had an argument with my husband this morning.• Phil got into an argument with a guy at the bar.• Testimony ended Wednesday afternoon, and attorneys are to give closing arguments Thursday.• Rose presented a good argument.• This provides an important argument for the lead causes-hyperactivity hypothesis.• The main argument against smoking is that it's bad for your health.• Learn to study footnotes for further information and as clues to the scholarship and plausibility of the historian's arguments.• We can regard the statistical argument about numbers of planets as an argument of last resort.• My sister and I had a terrible argument last night.• What are the arguments for the legalization of cannabis?• In his mind Cameron continued the argument throughout the meal.• It is not clear how much of the argument is really about policy, and how much about personality.• Do you agree with the argument that violence on TV makes people behave violently?• Just stick to your argument that the dealer said you'd make a certain profit.argument about/over• As usual the Benn women were having an argument over the breakfast table.• Social interaction involving dialogue and argument over ideas, by its very nature, is an important source of disequilibrium.• There is room for argument about precise figures, none about the general thrust of Sir Hector's briefing.• The anti-conspiratorial rhetoric of the Vanguard argument has its place in the general National Front argument about tactics.• The economist does not enter into the dubious moral arguments about the importance or virtue of the wants to be satisfied.• Then there is the argument about availability.• I Pressed home the usual arguments about duty and not fighting the war for the privilege of going to the cinema.• Mary Mara makes the volatile Ruth a mainspring of precarious tension, capable of a solitary three-way argument over a peanut-butter sandwich.argument that• The Defendants counter argument that this infrastructure information did not constitute a record either was not allowed by the Court.• She offered the familiar argument that a strong domestic steel industry is needed for national defense.• It is too clear for argument that the change in phraseology was adopted understandingly and with a purpose.• This is the kind of argument that Clinton loves; it sets him on the middle ground.• This weakens the splitters' argument that to reconstitute high-level meaning from the basic ingredients requires only the right recipe.• Incidentally, the argument that dinosaurs would have needed to keep their brains cool neither proves nor disproves endothermy.• We begin with the argument that the evidence for a Deity might be so strong as to undermine faith.• The argument that fixed costs are incompatible with scale economies is as follows.• No serious thinker can make a valid argument that to discriminate based on species is acceptable.for the sake of argument• Let us assume for the sake of argument that Inevitable is correct.• Let us assume for the sake of argument that you are not Joan Crawford.• I'm not sure that's an accurate description, but for the sake of argument I'll accept it.• Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that you've got $5000 to invest.• Let's say for the sake of argument it was the scullery window.• This already poses problems, but let us say, for the sake of argument, that it is equivalent to place.• Let us say for the sake of argument that it is five different partners on the same night.• Suppose, for the sake of argument, man, the true perpetrators of this crime are our enemies. 