as in skirmishes
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
he came home with a black eye from the dustup at the bar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dustups
The second half ground almost to a halt with a few minor dustups for fouls and arguments.
—
Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
To Washington, the dustups are the sort of tough love the continent needs.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
While the midair dustups are trending down after the Federal Aviation Administration adopted a zero-tolerance policy and increased fines almost five years ago, the incidents will end up close to double the three-year average before the pandemic.
—Thomas Black, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025
Prior to the dustups with NBCU and TelevisaUnivision, YouTube TV had nearly blacked out Paramount and Fox networks, reaching deals with both media companies after tensions spilled into public view.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
And the headline bombshells continue in the who-did-what-when mortgage dustups.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
And the headline bombshells continue in the who-did-what-when mortgage dustups.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 17 Sep. 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
Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
To Washington, the dustups are the sort of tough love the continent needs.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
While the midair dustups are trending down after the Federal Aviation Administration adopted a zero-tolerance policy and increased fines almost five years ago, the incidents will end up close to double the three-year average before the pandemic.
—Thomas Black, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025
Prior to the dustups with NBCU and TelevisaUnivision, YouTube TV had nearly blacked out Paramount and Fox networks, reaching deals with both media companies after tensions spilled into public view.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
And the headline bombshells continue in the who-did-what-when mortgage dustups.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
And the headline bombshells continue in the who-did-what-when mortgage dustups.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 17 Sep. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dustups
Noun
-
Continue reading … — Two arrested as skirmishes erupt outside courthouse after Karmelo Anthony verdict.—
,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
-
One of those skirmishes, in fact, involved Childress himself, in 2011 at Kansas Speedway, when the then-65-year-old car owner for an opposing team got into a physical altercation with Busch after an on-track incident.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The clashes continued even after police ordered the demonstrators to disperse.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
In the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, violence drove displacements to record levels following the armed clashes in Cite Soleil in March and again in May.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Seven cage fights will be held on the White House grounds in honor of the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary – a day that also happens to be the president's 80th birthday.—
Danielle Kurtzleben,
NPR,
14 June 2026
-
Trump has sought to tie Sunday’s event — which features seven fights running past midnight — to larger, months-long celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Related Stories The project will explore Gaudí’s life, inner battles and spiritual evolution, framing the architect as a radical creative force shaped by faith and an increasingly austere existence.—
Emiliano de Pablos,
Variety,
16 June 2026
-
What follows is a wildly chaotic getaway featuring inflatable bubble-ball battles, awkward matchmaking schemes, disastrous sabotage attemptsand even an emergency dolphin CPR situation.—
Lily Brown,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dustups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dustups. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
