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
This fuels an insatiable anger and bloodlust in Baldur, who favors a brawling fighting style that blends his immense power with the raw impact of his fists.
—
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 24 Feb. 2026
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
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 24 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawling
Verb
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Her grandparents are constantly bickering, worn down by the pressures of keeping the family hotel afloat.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
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The choice not to pick a team has left fans bickering with each other.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nearby, pigeons are fighting over what, horrifyingly, appears to be a chicken strip.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
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The ferocity of Iran’s attacks on America’s Gulf allies, and the regime’s determination to keep fighting, have already come as a nasty surprise to him.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some residents and community groups say conditions around MacArthur Park remain far from resolved, arguing that drug activity and safety concerns persist despite recent enforcement and outreach efforts.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Citadel Securities published a blistering takedown of the Citrini essay, noting, for instance, that demand for software engineers is up 11% year over year, and more broadly arguing that productivity shocks have historically expanded output and raised real incomes.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 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 12 Mar. 2026.
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