1
as in clash
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people
they were thrown out of the party after starting a brawl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in altercation
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
the student drama society's decision to put on the controversial play prompted a brawl at the school board meeting
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in roar
loud, confused, and usually inharmonious sound
we could hear the brawl of the river rapids ahead of us before we could actually see them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily
the Wilsons were always loudly brawling, and the neighbors were always shutting their windows
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of brawl
Ella McCarthy, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Justin Gaethje – April 14, 2018 at UFC on Fox 29
In one of the wildest fights in UFC history, Poirier stopped Gaethje via TKO in Round 4 after a back-and-forth brawl filled with leg kicks, power punches, and nonstop pressure from both men.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025
The border state had been rife with turmoil as secessionists street brawled with unionists about whose side Maryland should join.
—Zaakir Tameez
june 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawl
Noun
That spring, a massive brawl on East Sixth Street between Mardi Gras partiers and Austin police resulted in almost three dozen arrests, national news coverage and some hospitalizations.
—Ella McCarthy, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Justin Gaethje – April 14, 2018 at UFC on Fox 29
In one of the wildest fights in UFC history, Poirier stopped Gaethje via TKO in Round 4 after a back-and-forth brawl filled with leg kicks, power punches, and nonstop pressure from both men.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Verb
The president spoke as if a war between nations was similar to a fight between brawling children.
—Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025
The border state had been rife with turmoil as secessionists street brawled with unionists about whose side Maryland should join.
—Zaakir Tameez
june 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawl
Noun
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However, those same clashes can be transformed into deeper connections with a little effort and understanding.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
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When it has been used, the stealth fighter has generally remained far away from frontline clashes, intelligence reports from the British government indicated in early 2023.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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While a competitive edge — even among teammates — is encouraged during NFL training camps, no one wants to see the quarterback involved in physical altercations.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
18 Aug. 2025
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Those involved in the altercation fled before police arrived, Gonzalez said.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
17 Aug. 2025
Noun
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When the full-time whistle blew, there was a huge roar and fist pump from Tottenham’s Kevin Danso.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
-
Williams roasted rising corner DJ James on the touchdown, which drew a roar from the crowd.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
30 July 2025
Verb
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Sunny and Ulla have a tendency to bicker, and each can resort to brandishing cultural stereotypes as a cudgel when arguing with the other.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
3 Aug. 2025
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That was the thing that gave us the ability to feel quite free in the scenes — not changing the words or changing the sense of the scene — but trust trying different things, having that bickering back and forth, finding that easygoing relationship between the two of them.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
25 July 2025
Noun
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Three police officers were also injured during the melee.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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Oak Lawn’s police department also was formed after an unsavory incident, after several drunken Chicago police officers crashed a community dance in 1913 resulting in a melee involving around 75 residents.—
Janice Neumann,
Chicago Tribune,
9 July 2025
Noun
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The notice comes in the midst of a broader legal dispute between Wilson and The Deb's producers.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Peter was working on Chime’s internal tools for managing customer support and disputes.—
Jeff Kauflin,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The lack of an internal-combustion engine means that any EV manufacturer needs to solve for additional NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness), so RBW went down the rabbit hole chasing creaks and rattles.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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The only thing that cuts through the noise are stories.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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He was arrested in February 2015 in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and had been fighting extradition to the United States since then.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Aug. 2025
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For nonprofits, this means less time fighting fires and more time delivering impact.—
Saurav Bhattacharya,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawl. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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