dustups

noun

plural of dustup
as in skirmishes
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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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 As for the offense overall, Payne agreed that the dustups with the defense helped motivate the offense. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026 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 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
  1. skirmishes
  2. clashes
  3. fights
  4. battles
Noun
  • There were certainly more skirmishes between the Eagles offense and Patriots defense.
    — Zach Berman, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Players from the Cowboys and the Saints threw punches during several skirmishes throughout the joint practice, which was conducted in uncommonly hot, humid weather in the coastal town.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of skirmishes
Noun
  • In the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait — where clashes have intensified in recent weeks — data shows at least 45 vessels crossed, including eight tankers and eight cargo ships going to the Gulf of Aden.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The 2026 schedule will be challenging as well with two September clashes with conference contender SMU and a trip to Tuscaloosa to face revenge-minded Alabama.
    — Andre C. Fernandez, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of clashes
Noun
  • There is a lot of discussion about how far these fights have gone and what the low blows consist of.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • About eight fights broke out throughout the two-hour session, significantly impacting the ability of either team to get in as much quality work as expected.
    — Jon Machota, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of fights
Noun
  • Tanger centers are places where family and friends can gather, our green spaces play host to everything from yoga classes to food truck rallies to high school battles of the bands.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Once in Korea, O’Hara worked with the Korean stunt team to refine the choreography even further, making battles out of the small-scale struggle of opening a door, of how characters could make it to the glass break outside.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of battles

Browse Nearby Words

dustup
dustups
dusty
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Cite this Entry

“Dustups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dustups. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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