brawl

verb

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\ ˈbrȯl

brawled; brawling; brawls

Definition of brawl

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

brawl

noun

Definition of brawl (Entry 2 of 2)

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 brawl— John Burroughs

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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: Verb Kyle Schwarber was an 11-year-old slugger in Middletown, Ohio, when Alex Rodriguez turned toward Jason Varitek, uttered a few choice words and dared the Boston Red Sox catcher to brawl, Varitek only too happy to comply. — Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 5 Oct. 2021 James watched as his mother and the other woman started to brawl. — Elias Leight, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2021 Lewis will brawl it out with Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight championship. — Sarah Pearce, Chron, 26 July 2021 If so, there might not have been a line brawl off the opening faceoff, six fights in the first 4:14, and 141 PIMs doled out in all. — BostonGlobe.com, 8 May 2021 Hagler’s April 15, 1985, brawl with Thomas Hearns, his 36th match in that decade-long run, is among the sport’s classics. — BostonGlobe.com, 27 Mar. 2021 Polls down the stretch showed the president locked in a close-quarters brawl with Biden for Ohio’s 18 Electoral College votes, with the state reverting to its historical role as a prominent swing state. — David M. Drucker, Washington Examiner, 3 Nov. 2020 Some media types hoped for a champion who'd cuss-out or brawl with a rival. — Michael Knight, The Arizona Republic, 1 Nov. 2020 This lawlessness could be terrifying; the inmates would brawl over card games. — Doug Bock Clark, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The viral video is the latest brawl at a Waffle House in recent years. — Lucas Manfredi, Fox News, 6 Sep. 2021 Most intriguing of all may be the brawl among Republican candidates, with former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer on the giving and receiving ends. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2021 An anti-lockdown event outside the Buffalo City Hall devolved into a brawl between the Watchmen and anti-fascist counterprotesters. — BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2021 Tuesday night, there was a brawl in the center field bleachers between a couple of guys without shirts. — Phil Miller, Star Tribune, 22 July 2021 After opening up a 16-point lead in the second quarter, Phoenix’s Ricky Sobers and Boston’s Kevin Stacom got into a brawl, leading to matching ejections. — The Arizona Republic, 12 July 2021 The anxiety among some Republicans foreshadows what is shaping up to be a partisan brawl that could put a hefty target on their backs, either with constituents or with Trump himself -- neither of whom GOP lawmakers are eager to cross. — Melanie Zanona, CNN, 1 July 2021 But as more Americans become vaccinated and virus restrictions loosen, masks are at the center of a second round in the country’s culture brawl. — Sarah Maslin Nir, New York Times, 17 May 2021 The Big 12 was an absolute brawl all season, and the Red Raiders have some recall from their Final Four trip two years ago. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'brawl.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.