bare-knuckle
adjective or adverb
bare-knuck·le
ˈber-ˈnə-kəl 
variants
or less commonly bare-knuckled
or bare-knuckles
1
: not using boxing gloves
… champion bare-knuckle prizefighter of England …—
Dennis Craig
Dennis Craigwhen men fought bare-knuckle
2
: having a fierce unrelenting character
bare-knuckle politics
Examples of bare-knuckle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The spectacle brought together two bare-knuckle brands that have been intertwined for years, and was symbolic of the pugilistic moment in American politics.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 14 June 2026
California’s decision to redraw its congressional map to flip as many as five House seats to Democrats in November is poised to play a big and potentially decisive role in the nation’s broader, bare-knuckle fight for control of Congress.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
For Republicans, despite victories in a bare-knuckle redistricting war, the House already looks lost.
—Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
In the co-main event, fan favorite Nate Diaz battled Mike Perry, of bare-knuckle boxing fame, in a two-round banger filled with far more blood than any display of the jiu-jitsu that propelled Diaz to stardom.
—Mark Puleo, New York Times, 17 May 2026
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Zac Anderson, USA Today, 14 June 2026
California’s decision to redraw its congressional map to flip as many as five House seats to Democrats in November is poised to play a big and potentially decisive role in the nation’s broader, bare-knuckle fight for control of Congress.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
For Republicans, despite victories in a bare-knuckle redistricting war, the House already looks lost.
—Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
In the co-main event, fan favorite Nate Diaz battled Mike Perry, of bare-knuckle boxing fame, in a two-round banger filled with far more blood than any display of the jiu-jitsu that propelled Diaz to stardom.
—Mark Puleo, New York Times, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bare-knuckle
Cite this Entry
“Bare-knuckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bare-knuckle. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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