affrays

noun

plural of affray, chiefly British
as in brawls
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people the police had to break up an affray that started between fans of the opposing teams

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for affrays
  1. brawls
  2. altercations
  3. clashes
Noun
  • After the final whistle blew, several brawls broke out between players, and even coaches appeared to get involved.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
  • The Balboa Peninsula, which Stapleton represents on the council, has historically been an infamous hot spot for public drinking, disruptive parties and brawls throughout the summer and especially during the Fourth of July.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of brawls
Noun
  • Often, altercations involving a resident with dementia erupt after danger signals are missed or ineffectively addressed, according to a KFF Health News examination of court records, police reports, and state and federal inspection reports.
    — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026
  • Retired Miami Heat forward and captain Udonis Haslem found himself in more than a few altercations during his NBA playing career.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • Sudden closures and delays in wages and severance pay have also prompted street protests and clashes with authorities, with the minimum wage still a persistent flashpoint.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 29 July 2026
  • On that note, when Venus in Virgo clashes with Mars in Gemini, desire and judgment can start working against each other.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Definition of clashes
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Affrays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affrays. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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