as in bickering
to express different opinions about something often angrily
the Wilsons were always loudly brawling, and the neighbors were always shutting their windows
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Recent Examples of brawling
Videos recorded at the scene appeared to show Danis brawling with Abubakar Nurmagomedov and Magomed Zaynukov, both teammates of Makhachev.
—
Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 16 Nov. 2025
McGuane also reminded me that Hemingway was, to put it politely, a complicated personality, a domineering figure prone to brawling, affairs, and cask-strength egoism.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
The two superstars immediately began brawling.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
The soldiers’ pastimes of drinking, gambling, and brawling also offended many Bostonians, who retained the piety of their Pilgrim ancestors.
—Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Sports could be dangerous even without brawling in UFC’s Octagon, an eight-sided cage.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Having a cyberarm might offset glitches in brawling attacks to encourage players to take more risk dice during a first fight.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
From taking throat punches to brawling naked, the Oscar winner manages to balance the physical comedy of the film while still centering the story’s emotional heart.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Cottonwood Creek was brawling down its rocky channel, making a loud racket in the stillness of the morning.
—Fred C. Mercer, Outdoor Life, 14 Aug. 2025
Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 16 Nov. 2025
McGuane also reminded me that Hemingway was, to put it politely, a complicated personality, a domineering figure prone to brawling, affairs, and cask-strength egoism.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
The two superstars immediately began brawling.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
The soldiers’ pastimes of drinking, gambling, and brawling also offended many Bostonians, who retained the piety of their Pilgrim ancestors.
—Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Sports could be dangerous even without brawling in UFC’s Octagon, an eight-sided cage.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Having a cyberarm might offset glitches in brawling attacks to encourage players to take more risk dice during a first fight.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
From taking throat punches to brawling naked, the Oscar winner manages to balance the physical comedy of the film while still centering the story’s emotional heart.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Cottonwood Creek was brawling down its rocky channel, making a loud racket in the stillness of the morning.
—Fred C. Mercer, Outdoor Life, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawling
Verb
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Someone on the bench started bickering with Cameroon’s first goalscorer, Junior Tchamadeu, during a break in play.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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The Federal Reserve chair and the president stood stiffly, side by side, in matching hard hats, bickering on a building site, for all the world to see.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Fatu and Rhodes took turns fighting each other and then the WWE officials.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
The Skippers kept fighting, using a 7-0 run to take a 57-55 lead with two minutes to go.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors alleged the other crimes of violence were represented by two stalking charges, arguing Mangione stalked Thompson online and travelled across state lines to carry out the killing.—
Kara Scannell,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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Prosecutors on Bragg’s case earlier this week urged the presiding judge to schedule trial to begin in July, before the federal case makes it before a jury, arguing local authorities first investigated and charged Mangione and should get to try him first.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Her father, after quarreling with Antigone’s mother, locked her out of their house overnight, which led to a terrible accident.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
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Lydon’s revelation comes after years of quarreling with guitarist Steve Jones, bassist Glen Matlock, and drummer Paul Cook.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
30 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brawling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawling. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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