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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of scuffle
Stella Kim, NBC News, 5 Dec. 2024
Five thoughts on the suddenly scuffling Maple Leafs Mazraoui as the No 10?
—New York Times, 25 Oct. 2024
Pérez has scuffled since May, with inconsistent performances that have dragged Red Bull to within striking distance of losing the championship lead to McLaren.
—Madeline Coleman, The Athletic, 28 July 2024
Penn State overcame the loss of quarterback Drew Allar to injury just before halftime to win at Wisconsin and remained No. 3 going into this weekend’s home game against Ohio State, which stayed No. 4 after scuffling to a 21-17 win at home against nearly four-touchdown-underdog Nebraska.
—Eric Olson, The Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scuffle 
Verb
Protesters also arrived at the legislature, where some scuffled with security forces.
—Stella Kim, NBC News, 5 Dec. 2024
Five thoughts on the suddenly scuffling Maple Leafs Mazraoui as the No 10?
—New York Times, 25 Oct. 2024
Pérez has scuffled since May, with inconsistent performances that have dragged Red Bull to within striking distance of losing the championship lead to McLaren.
—Madeline Coleman, The Athletic, 28 July 2024
Penn State overcame the loss of quarterback Drew Allar to injury just before halftime to win at Wisconsin and remained No. 3 going into this weekend’s home game against Ohio State, which stayed No. 4 after scuffling to a 21-17 win at home against nearly four-touchdown-underdog Nebraska.
—Eric Olson, The Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for scuffle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuffle
Noun
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The ugly scene on a suburban street was a harbinger of skirmishes to come.Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
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Houston teammates then ran in to defend their teammate, as well, leading to a skirmish that spilled out of bounds while Lawrence remained on the turf, still on his back, as medical personnel tended to him.Andrew Greif, NBC News, 1 Dec. 2024
Verb
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For more on Marvel Rivals, our in-depth guides cover the best Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist characters, which are due to get shuffled thanks to the arrival of the new heroes.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
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Injuries forced Howe to shuffle his pack, and hit doubly hard as midfielders/forwards had to fulfil secondary positions, such as Gordon to right-winger or Joelinton from No 8 to winger.Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Incoming Trump officials are now wrestling with the logistics — to say nothing of the financial burden — of rounding up and removing that population size.Christopher White, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2025
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City and state transportation planners have been wrestling with how to contain traffic, looking to public transit and densification — by encouraging more housing concentrated around bus and train hubs — so that workers don’t have to drive as much.Bruce Finley, The Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In addition to engaging in regular border clashes with Israel, the group has supported Bashar al-Assad in his decimation of Syrian rebels and has been accused of assassinating Lebanese political figures who oppose Syrian or Iranian influence in the country.Youmna Melhem Chamieh, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
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New York City has seen mass demonstrations against Israel, including the encampments, antisemitic rallying cries and clashes with police seen at Columbia University and New York University earlier this year.Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Packers stumbled down the stretch, losing three of five, including two in a row.Jeff Howe, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
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Thomas watches as a naked virgin rides a horse, which is meant to stumble upon reaching the grave of a vampire.Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Despite having a pre-existing heart condition, Gold fought his way through the drifts to bring food to the train.Robert Klara, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2025
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These same groups have for years fought against delisting the bears, arguing that Western states like Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana are unable to manage grizzlies responsibly.Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Osbourne didn't share much about her treatment, but this update comes on the heels of her recent battle with a high fever over the holidays.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
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For the past two and a half years, the battle for the future of L.A.’s Fairfax Avenue corridor has been raging between economic powerhouses.David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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There's also the arrival of Shane's mother Kitty (Molly Shannon), who shows up to stomp all over the honeymoon his new bride Rachel is attempting to salvage.Griff Griffin, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
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Like Frankenstein’s monster and so many of the robots that keep stomping across our big and small screens, Norbot also seems to threaten the very life that it’s meant to help.Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near scuffle
Cite this Entry
“Scuffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuffle. Accessed 14 Jan. 2025.
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