as in skirmishes
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
several chairs were knocked over in the scuffle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in shuffles
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 wrestles
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 scuffles
Steven T. Dennis, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
This helps keep the smaller canines safe and avoids potential scuffles.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
But if Boston scuffles after also losing Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford and Luke Kornet this offseason, Stevens and head coach Joe Mazzulla could be more inclined to keep Tatum sidelined until next season.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
The coin’s creators have run across the field at Los Angeles Dodgers games and gotten into scuffles with famous gym creators, all as a means of hyping up their coin.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2025
Police got involved to draw counter-protestors away after scuffles with protestors.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Dozens of protesters were arrested and there were some scuffles with police.
—Stephane Mahe, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Last month, video surfaced of similar scuffles outside the court.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
And then there are return volleys about the hypocrisy of expecting fights or scuffles to create urgency when players have been ostracized in the past for picking fights and scuffles.
—Nick Suss, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
Capitol hallways have become an endless series of partisan scrums and press conferences where the two sides play the blame game, occasionally to each others’ faces on camera in impromptu scuffles.
—Steven T. Dennis, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
This helps keep the smaller canines safe and avoids potential scuffles.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
But if Boston scuffles after also losing Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford and Luke Kornet this offseason, Stevens and head coach Joe Mazzulla could be more inclined to keep Tatum sidelined until next season.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
The coin’s creators have run across the field at Los Angeles Dodgers games and gotten into scuffles with famous gym creators, all as a means of hyping up their coin.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2025
Police got involved to draw counter-protestors away after scuffles with protestors.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Dozens of protesters were arrested and there were some scuffles with police.
—Stephane Mahe, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Last month, video surfaced of similar scuffles outside the court.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
And then there are return volleys about the hypocrisy of expecting fights or scuffles to create urgency when players have been ostracized in the past for picking fights and scuffles.
—Nick Suss, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuffles
Noun
-
Activists literally or figuratively flying the antifa flag have long been among the subset of people who go to protests to destroy property and get into violent skirmishes with far-right protestors (like the Proud Boys).—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Law enforcement officers have deployed tear gas and pepper balls in skirmishes with protesters.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Gakpo is deeper, and Wirtz pushes forward as the central member of Liverpool’s forward line, while Ekitike shuffles across as the left of the trio.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Because global air travel shuffles millions of people around the world daily, an outbreak of a very contagious disease anywhere can become a threat everywhere.—
Amy E. Stambach,
The Conversation,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In London Fog, Kaszas wrestles with anxiety, explores the many modern paths to parenthood, and reflects on growing up with a single immigrant mother — all while trying not to let success change him.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
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D'Vontaye Mitchell's widow still wrestles with grief In her letter, Harmon said all four men need to be held accountable in Mitchell's death and that she is still traumatized by memory of receiving the call informing her that her husband was gone.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Both sides cautiously pursue normalization after years of recurring clashes.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
-
As tensions boiled, clashes broke out and federal agents used pepper balls and tear gas, hitting journalists, a pastor and officers with the Chicago Police Department, according to reports and a lawsuit.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Mussolini stomps and swirls around, the camera keeping him and his increasingly frenzied supporters in sight.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The guy just f****** stomps right on my face.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The court fights all proved futile, however.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
-
This included people rushing the field, fights breaking out and some of the crowd panicking.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Despite years of legal battles over the relocations, more than 150,000 bodies were exhumed from the 1920s to the early 1940s for the trip to Colma, each in various stages of decay.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
-
As legal battles intensify, the administration faces mounting pressure to justify its actions and resolve a case that has tested the limits of executive authority over immigration enforcement.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The trio stumbles upon a crucial piece of evidence - and promptly compromises it.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
-
To summarize, the protagonist, lost in hopeless days, eventually stumbles upon a deserted dance hall.—
Billboard Japan,
Billboard,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scuffles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuffles. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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