altercar

A formal verb for arguing or quarreling heatedly, most often seen in its noun form altercado (an altercation, a common word in news reports about fights or disputes). The verb itself sounds more literary than the everyday discutir or pelearse.

• Los dos vecinos altercaron por el ruido hasta que llegó la policía. — The two neighbors argued heatedly over the noise until the police arrived.
• Prefirió no altercar con él y se marchó. — He preferred not to argue with him and left.
• Altercaron en plena calle ante la mirada de los transeúntes. — They quarreled right in the street in front of passersby.

Reaching for altercar in casual conversation — a native speaker overwhelmingly says discutir or pelearse for an everyday argument; altercar itself sounds formal or journalistic, even though its noun altercado is extremely common.

Often confused with discutir.