as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
he came home with a black eye from the dustup at the bar
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Recent Examples of dustup
Slight dustup McVay and Saints linebacker Demario Davis exchanged words after the coach took exception to running back Kyren Williams being tackled to the ground in a practice that was agreed to be wrap-up instead of full contact.
—
Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 14 Aug. 2025
He and Raiders coach Pete Carroll intervened to keep a couple of dustups from turning into fights, including on special teams.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
Brooks and Dodson had to be separated by teammates, but after the dustup happened the team and linebackers carried on like nothing had taken place the rest of the practice.
—Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2025
OpenAI quickly reversed course, but the dustup underscores the perils of releasing new models as AI becomes more intertwined with people’s lives.
—Sarah Whitmire, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dustup
Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 14 Aug. 2025
He and Raiders coach Pete Carroll intervened to keep a couple of dustups from turning into fights, including on special teams.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
Brooks and Dodson had to be separated by teammates, but after the dustup happened the team and linebackers carried on like nothing had taken place the rest of the practice.
—Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2025
OpenAI quickly reversed course, but the dustup underscores the perils of releasing new models as AI becomes more intertwined with people’s lives.
—Sarah Whitmire, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dustup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dustup
Noun
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Still one of the NFL’s nastiest division rivalries, the game was full of skirmishes and a near-costly unnecessary roughness penalty late in the third against the Eagles that put the Cowboys in position to take the lead.—
Dan Gelston,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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Ideological skirmishes over the motives and obligations of Carpenter’s music include both sincere interrogation of its feminism and smirking counteractive reprisals to that scrutiny.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Those clashes became viral videos that cemented his reputation as a culture warrior.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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On November 25, the La Liga holders travel to Stamford Bridge for a mouthwatering clash with the reigning Club World Cup kings.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Republicans were unfazed by Democrats threatening to withhold their votes, accusing them of hypocrisy for condemning GOP efforts to win policy concessions in past funding battles.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Sep. 2025
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The iconic items fit well in this book given how many Avengers don’t feel complete without a gadget or mystical item to carry into battle.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Yet two of the first three weekends on CU’s fight card have resembled the Kansas and Kansas State losses of 2024.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
13 Sep. 2025
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Naoya Inoue, who is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters and 30-0, is defending his super bantamweight title on Sunday in Japan, just hours after Álvarez and Crawford fight.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dustup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dustup. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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