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
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Recent Examples of brawl
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026
With 5 minutes, 39 seconds left in a second-round game, a brawl broke out between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina.
—Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
As a ballplayer, Kent was as irascible as Bonds; the two alphas reportedly brawled behind clubhouse doors, and famously clashed in the dugout during a 2002 game, when Bonds lunged for Kent’s throat and pushed him against the wall.
—Jeremy Collins, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawl
Noun
This is a grand adventure and cracking good mystery awash with gaslighting, brawls, murders, red herrings and a secret society.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026
With 5 minutes, 39 seconds left in a second-round game, a brawl broke out between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina.
—Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
This was described as a flat-out fight as Rhodes and Fatu brawled into the crowd.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
As a ballplayer, Kent was as irascible as Bonds; the two alphas reportedly brawled behind clubhouse doors, and famously clashed in the dugout during a 2002 game, when Bonds lunged for Kent’s throat and pushed him against the wall.
—Jeremy Collins, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawl
Noun
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On Friday night, three people were taken into custody amid a clash between pro-Iranian regime demonstrators, who erected a shrine to the slain Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, the former supreme leader of Iran, and anti-Khamenei protesters at Washington Square Park.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
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The recent developments evoke the clash of civilizations theory developed by Samuel Huntington in the 1990s.—
Debidatta A. Mahapatra,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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During the altercation, police say one fatal shot was fired into the victim's stomach.—
Eric Mack,
FOXNews.com,
10 Mar. 2026
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Then, Smith and the Jets’ relationship soured for good when Smith suffered a broken jaw in a locker room altercation with teammate IK Enemkpali in August of 2015.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The sensation of ripping through six forward gears with the LT4’s stentorian roar echoing off a canyon wall is one of the best in motoring.—
Kyle Hyatt,
Robb Report,
5 Mar. 2026
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The next roar came within 200 yards of our boat.—
Delbert L. Chears,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Jokic and Oklahoma City’s players had bothered each other and bickered all night.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Her grandparents are constantly bickering, worn down by the pressures of keeping the family hotel afloat.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Dominic Miller, who pleaded guilty to a weapons charge as part of a plea deal, was among at least six people to start shooting in the melee that sent players, city officials and hundreds of fans scrambling for cover, according to court records.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Mar. 2026
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Rasmus Dahlin in the head and neck during a bizarre second-period melee in the Sabres’ 5-1 win Thursday at PPG Paints Arena.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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What will become of this nursery in the wild in the next hundred years, or thousand, is the crux of a scientific and policy dispute.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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In the video, a group of young teens appeared to be in a verbal dispute before a physical altercation quickly escalated between two girls.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The noise disappears as the reading party begins.—
Sofia Zarran,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
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The suit alleged the developers violated a development agreement and would bring pollution, noise and traffic to a nearby neighborhood.—
Karoline Leonard,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Zelenskyy noted that providing interceptors was not enough to help fight drone attacks.—
SYLVIE CORBET,
Arkansas Online,
14 Mar. 2026
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Pakistan denied targeting civilians, as fighting between the neighbors entered its third week.—
Abdul Qahar Afghan,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawl. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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