1
as in brawl
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people
a dozen people were arrested after the donnybrook at the stadium
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2
as in altercation
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
the kind of hot-button issue that inevitably creates a donnybrook in the halls of the statehouse
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of donnybrook
Saturday’s donnybrook at the Horseshoe may not have scared up the massive numbers that last year’s Ohio State-Michigan showdown delivered, but Fox’s broadcast of the 120th installment of The Game still ranks as the college football season’s second-biggest TV draw.
—
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 4 Dec. 2024
Once, according to a story pitcher George Brunet told Sports Illustrated, a manager’s argument with an umpire turned into an all-out donnybrook involving players and fans and photographers and reporters, too.
—Rustin Dodd, The Athletic, 26 Aug. 2024
But money has settled previous donnybrooks over new technologies.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024
The donnybrook between Disney and Ron DeSantis keeps escalating, and what should be a dispute over corporate welfare has devolved into an unfortunate political brawl that both could lose.
—The Editorial Board, wsj.com, 27 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for donnybrook
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 4 Dec. 2024
Once, according to a story pitcher George Brunet told Sports Illustrated, a manager’s argument with an umpire turned into an all-out donnybrook involving players and fans and photographers and reporters, too.
—Rustin Dodd, The Athletic, 26 Aug. 2024
But money has settled previous donnybrooks over new technologies.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024
The donnybrook between Disney and Ron DeSantis keeps escalating, and what should be a dispute over corporate welfare has devolved into an unfortunate political brawl that both could lose.
—The Editorial Board, wsj.com, 27 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for donnybrook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for donnybrook
Noun
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Harvey was just 11 years old when that fight occurred, but her teammate and Team USA leader Hilary Knight was there, and involved in the brawl.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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The film followed Chan Lok-kwun (Raymond Lam), a mainland refugee trying to pay his way to a fake ID by winning bare-knuckle brawls.—
Marcus Lim,
Variety,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Packers owned a 22-19 lead in the fourth quarter when Steelers linebacker Nick Niemann was flagged for instigating an altercation.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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Other behaviors that commonly cause altercations during flights include shouting, consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, and reclining your seat without consideration for the person sitting behind.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Sunday’s clash will mark the 10th meeting in six years between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.—
Andy Scholes,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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After the clash, Geralt is knighted for his bravery, fulfilling his oldest fantasy—but at a cost.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Diplomacy is critical to resolve disputes such as the Helmand River conflict, while the government must manage human and economic effects—such as shrinking harvests and salt-dust health risks.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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The streaming service lost 21 channels after the live TV provider's contract dispute with The Walt Disney Company ended in an impasse.—
Jenny Porter Tilley,
Louisville Courier Journal,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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De Silva, police noted, was an innocent bystander who was not involved in the quarrel and was not believed to have been the target.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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Marta and Antonio, partners of many years, quarrel and suddenly break up.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Legendary rapper Jay-Z came out in defense of Bad Bunny amid controversy over the Puerto Rican recording artist being tapped to perform at the Super Bowl LX halftime show.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
28 Oct. 2025
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Succeeding on OnlyFans in 2025 often means having a high tolerance for controversy, negative attention, the willingness to troll, and an ability to flip tsunamis of online haters into fans.—
Taylor Lorenz,
Rolling Stone,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The dispute could affect billions of dollars in cross-border trade and set a new precedent for handling disagreements over the use of public figures and historic addresses in political messaging.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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The sentiment is consistent across political party affiliations, with 75% of Republicans, 82% of Independents and 79% of Democrats expressing disagreement.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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When police arrived, however, there was no sign of any fight or crime scene.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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In his eight wins, all eight have come inside the distance, with only two fights seeing a second round.—
Brett Appley,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Donnybrook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/donnybrook. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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