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
Eve Chen, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
One student, Courtney Carson, was under the impression that he’d been given a 10-day suspension with other students involved in the brawl.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Jeremy Collins, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
The cabinets inhaled quarters as four players teamed up to brawl their way to save Maggie Simpson or battle Shredder across New York.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawl
Noun
Two passengers received a lifetime ban from Jet2 after a brawl on a flight from Turkey to England.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
One student, Courtney Carson, was under the impression that he’d been given a 10-day suspension with other students involved in the brawl.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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
The cabinets inhaled quarters as four players teamed up to brawl their way to save Maggie Simpson or battle Shredder across New York.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawl
Noun
-
Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit earlier this month following the Bondi attack sparked protests at major Australian cities, including clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators with the police outside Sydney Town Hall.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Hamilton reframed verbal clashes among the Founding Fathers as rap battles.—
Talya Zax,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Dorgan had attended other hockey games without issue, and there’s no evidence so far that an altercation had occurred at the rink before the killings.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
-
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the Transformers actor was arrested in New Orleans after an alleged physical altercation outside of a Royal Street business.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Could Jacob Bridgeman hear the roars for Rory McIlroy’s 30-foot make and still finish?—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
With his athleticism and his bravado—his programs featured the world’s only quad axel and the only backflip, which always elicited a roar from the crowd despite earning him no points—Malinin looked poised not only to win but also to bring men’s figure skating into the mainstream.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Her grandparents are constantly bickering, worn down by the pressures of keeping the family hotel afloat.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The choice not to pick a team has left fans bickering with each other.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Routh's attorney suggested a 27-year sentence would be punishment enough for the crime citing no one was hurt in the melee, but prosecutors disagreed.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
In the melee, Cristhian Mosquera lost his GPS tracker vest.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
When disputes arise, most can be kept behind closed doors.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The top pros were held out of the last two Winter Olympics, in 2018 over a dispute between the players and the IOC, and in 2022 because of COVID-19 interruptions in scheduling.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In the consumer market, that silence has created noise.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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Ideal for bedrooms, nurseries, apartments with older doors, and homes with hardwood or tile floors, this $4 draft stopper can stop the chilly air from entering, while also muffling outside noises and blocking dust, pollen, and pests.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When her parents fought, Roberts Giuffre would huddle with her little brother, covering his ears.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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Mayweather has fought in eight exhibition matches since, the last one coming against John Gotti III — the grandson of infamous mob boss John Gotti — in Mexico City in August 2024.—
Matt Schubert,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawl. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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