as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
several chairs were knocked over in the scuffle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily
she scuffled along in shoes that were much too large for her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wrestle
to seize and attempt to unbalance one another for the purpose of achieving physical mastery
the burglar and the homeowner briefly scuffled together in the dark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scuffle
Devon Henderson, New York Times, 1 May 2026
The extra time from the delay and the legal scuffles gave the team time to get the game ready.
—Jay Peters, The Verge, 30 Apr. 2026
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Cleveland’s 6-foot-6 right-hander had Dodgers hitters scuffling for seven innings, striking out 10 as the Guardians won for the second time in the three-game series.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scuffle
Noun
Robinson then grabbed Daniels around the neck and walked him several feet until a brief scuffle ensued between the two teams.
—Devon Henderson, New York Times, 1 May 2026
The extra time from the delay and the legal scuffles gave the team time to get the game ready.
—Jay Peters, The Verge, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
Michigan had been scuffling along, needing overtime to beat Wake Forest and surviving a nervy 67-63 game at TCU before coming to Las Vegas.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Cleveland’s 6-foot-6 right-hander had Dodgers hitters scuffling for seven innings, striking out 10 as the Guardians won for the second time in the three-game series.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scuffle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuffle
Noun
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The Pittsburgh Penguins staved off elimination for the second straight game with a clutch Game 5 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night, but celebrations were briefly halted when a skirmish erupted over a controversial hit on Sidney Crosby after the final buzzer.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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Walker, in a 10-pitch skirmish, drew a walk.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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MotoGP also had to shuffle its schedule due to the conflict in the Middle East, postponing the Qatar Grand Prix to November.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
7 May 2026
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But sometimes, simply shuffling the pieces can help, in our view.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
Verb
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DeKraker is headed to Minnesota and Liam Davis will wrestle at Northwestern.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
-
Bonds The bond market is still wrestling with higher energy prices.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
Noun
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In some cases, the panel couldn’t even identify ICE or Border Patrol agents involved in high-profile clashes.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
The group of cyclists, who fell after the clash, collided into the side of the SUV and fell onto the pavement.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Verb
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As Laugier’s story continues, the man wanders through a forest, stumbles upon fallen branches, and has an epiphany.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
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Mazzulla, who’s trumpeted the Celtics depth at every turn this season, shouldn’t hesitate to use it if his starters stumble on Saturday.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2026
Verb
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At that point, the White House needs approval from the legislative branch to continue fighting, according to the War Powers Resolution, a law aimed at reasserting Congress’ constitutional role of declaring war.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
2 May 2026
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Dyson Daniels and Mitchell Robinson were ejected after fighting following a pair of free throws from Anunoby that gave the Knicks a 50-point lead in the second quarter.—
Maura Carey,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Noun
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The project is particularly acrimonious, drawing out geographical battles between north and south and thorny fights between officials who want to build the tunnel and environmentalists and Delta residents seeking to protect the local ecosystem and their way of life.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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Without losing a man or a ship, Dewey’s squadron destroyed the Spanish fleet in the first American naval battle against a foreign power in almost five decades.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
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This is a fantastic shoe to stomp around town in, thanks to its thick rubber lug sole.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Apr. 2026
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From February through May, the males of this colorful bird species do a quick-stomping dance and make a low booming sound to attract a mate.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scuffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuffle. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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