🤼 A noisy fight 🤪 A foolish person

barney

1 8.6

A noisy argument between people, often in public

noun
/ˈbɑːni/

Slang

: bronca

We had a bit of a barney.

Then Liam takes two birds away and they have a bit of a Barney.

Examples

If you're gonna have a barney, can I hold your coat?

A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Well, we just had a barney with two blanks in the beer garden.

The World's End (2013)
No need for a barney.

The Plague Dogs (1982)
Ah, not worth the barney, mate.

Afterburn (2025)
Well, that woman's come over and he's like having a Barney with and he's like, come on, let's go collecting debts, line shooting pool.
I'm no sluggard when it comes to a barney, and it didn't take all that long before I tossed his unconscious carcass into a pile of chairs that seemed to have been placed there for just that purpose.

Fiction book (1995)
There was a loud barney at the pub over who should pay the bill.
Let's avoid a barney and just talk it out calmly.
The children had a small barney in the playground that drew everyone's attention.

Synonyms

fight

vsbarney

675 2.4

A strong argument between people or groups, often public

is the informal British expression for a noisy angry clash

dispute

vsbarney

384 3.0

A serious argument about something important that lasts a long time

is the informal British term that focuses on noisy personal fights

beef

vsbarney

Slang

138 8.0

A complaint or argument between people

is the informal British expression that focuses on noisy argument rather than mere complaint

row

vsbarney

74 6.0

A noisy argument between people

is the informal British word for such a noisy dispute

quarrel

vsbarney

61 2.0

An angry argument between people who are usually friendly

is the informal British phrasing that highlights noisy, informal exchange

altercation

vsbarney

52 6.8

A noisy argument between people often in public

is the informal British term for a similar public quarrel

run-in

vsbarney

Informal

41 5.2

An angry argument with someone

is the informal British word that highlights noisy disagreement

contention

vsbarney

34 6.5

A strong disagreement between people or groups

is the informal British term stressing noisy personal quarrels over formal opposition

ruckus

vsbarney

Informal

31 6.8

A loud, confused noise made by people arguing or shouting

is the informal British term aimed specifically at noisy arguments

squabble

vsbarney

Informal

27 4.2

A noisy argument about something unimportant

is the informal British label for noisy arguments, not only trivial ones

wrangling

vsbarney

16 6.7

A long heated argument about a specific issue

is the informal British label focusing on loud, angry disagreement

war of words

vsbarney

15 6.2

A long angry argument in public between opposing groups

is the informal British term used for shorter noisy disputes

tussle

vsbarney

14 4.8

A short, rough fight that is noisy or confused

is the informal British term used mainly for noisy verbal fights

heated debate

vsbarney

12 3.5

An argument with strong feelings and different opinions

is the informal British name for a noisy emotional disagreement

rumpus

vsbarney

11 7.6

Loud noise and activity, often with people shouting

focuses similarly on loud argument but as informal British speech

kerfuffle

vsbarney

Informal

8 8.8

A small noisy fuss when people disagree

is the informal British word stressing a noisy argument rather than a small fuss

shouting match

vsbarney

Informal

7 3.8

A noisy argument in which people try to shout louder than each other

is the informal British label for that noisy vocal conflict

heated argument

vsbarney

7 3.5

A strong angry disagreement between people with loud voices

is the informal British way to refer to such intense disputes

dustup

vsbarney

Informal

5 7.2

A short angry argument between people that is not very serious

is the informal British term that can be short and noisy

donnybrook

vsbarney

2 9.1

A noisy public fight or argument that causes trouble

is the informal British expression for a noisy chaotic dispute

wrangle

vsbarney

2 7.4

A noisy argument that lasts a long time

is used informally in British English for similar noisy disputes

argy-bargy

vsbarney

Slang

1 9.9

A noisy argument between people about a small issue

is similar in tone but used as informal British slang

words

vsbarney

Informal

1 6.2

A short angry argument between people

is the informal British phrase for that same angry exchange

ruction

vsbarney

Archaic

1 9.9

A noisy argument or fight that makes a place loud and confused

is used informally in British English for noisy verbal fights specifically

argle-bargle

vsbarney

Archaic

1 9.9

Loud, silly talk that has no useful meaning

is the informal British term that stresses noisy disagreement over silliness

rammy

vsbarney

Slang

9.9

A noisy argument or fight that is loud and out of control

is the informal British term for a noisy local quarrel

shitting match

vsbarney

Offensive

9.9

A very angry, petty argument with personal insults

is a cruder, informal British way to describe such heated fights

acrimonious argument

vsbarney

7.8

A bitter, angry argument that causes hard feelings

is the informal British name that emphasizes noisy disagreement rather than bitterness

Antonyms

agreement

361 1.0

A situation in which people have the same opinion or give their approval

harmony

146 2.5

Agreement and peaceful working together between people or ideas

How Serious

brawl

60 4.6

fight

∞ 1.0

barney

Slang

1 8.6

argument

617 2.3

to tiff

Informal

6.8

disagreement

268 1.6

Surface Forms

barney singular

barneys plural

Etymology

Barney may come from the rhyming slang Barney Rubble, which people used to mean 'trouble'. One popular story says speakers shortened Barney Rubble to barney, so today a barney is a noisy 'argument' or fight.