brawl

1 of 2

verb

brawled; brawling; brawls
Synonyms of brawlnext

intransitive verb

1
: to quarrel or fight noisily : wrangle
soccer fans brawling in the streets
2
: to make a loud confused noise
The Miami river … brawled over 25 feet of rapids …Marjory S. Douglas
brawler noun

brawl

2 of 2

noun

1
: a noisy quarrel or fight
a brawl broke out among the fans
a barroom brawl
2
: a loud tumultuous noise
… the spring run became quite a trout brook and its tiny murmur a loud brawlJohn Burroughs

Examples of brawl in a Sentence

Verb Fans were brawling in the streets after the game. the Wilsons were always loudly brawling, and the neighbors were always shutting their windows Noun they were thrown out of the party after starting a brawl the student drama society's decision to put on the controversial play prompted a brawl at the school board meeting
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
This fuels an insatiable anger and bloodlust in Baldur, who favors a brawling fighting style that blends his immense power with the raw impact of his fists. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 24 Feb. 2026 Workers in stores next to the 7-Eleven said arguments and fights were common at and around the convenience store — particularly among a few local homeless men who brawl over who gets to open the door for customers. Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026
Noun
Friars forward Duncan Powell struck a driving Hopkins in the head during the second half of the Red Storm’s eventual 79-69 win — a flagrant foul that sparked a brawl between the teams. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026 What Moscow hoped, according to analysts, would be an elegant decapitation strike lasting mere days quickly became a protracted and bloody brawl. Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for brawl

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English brawlen, brallen, of uncertain origin

Noun

Middle English braule, brall, noun derivative of brawlen "to brawl entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brawl was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brawl. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

brawl

verb
ˈbrȯl
1
: to quarrel noisily : wrangle
2
: to make a loud confused noise
brawl noun
brawler noun

More from Merriam-Webster on brawl

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster