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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dustups
  1. skirmishes
  2. clashes
  3. fights
  4. battles
Noun
  • Johnson brushes off the skirmishes, broadly speaking, as part of the governing process.
    — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • While the war ended years before, the hostility spread from the stands — with skirmishes among supporters — into the field, when Maradona tricked the referee and the world with the World Cup’s most infamous goal, punching the ball into the net with his fist above England’s goalie Peter Shilton.
    — Gabriel Sama, Mercury News, 21 June 2026
Definition of skirmishes
Noun
  • Several immigration enforcement operations in the US over the last year have resulted in fatalities –– with initial descriptions from authorities of clashes between agents and suspects later contradicted by video evidence.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • In 2017, al-Assir was convicted and sentenced to death for his role in the 2013 clashes that killed 18 soldiers, following a trial that lasted two years.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
Definition of clashes
Noun
  • Advocates viewed Cal/OSHA’S recognition of the detainees as workers as a victory that could pave the way for future labor rights fights at other detention centers in the state.
    — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Losing title fights to Charles Oliveira (symbolic BMF belt), Ilia Topuria (featherweight), and Alex Volkanovski (featherweight).
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of fights
Noun
  • By the time Apple wins its lawsuit against OpenAI, the decisive battles in the war might already be over.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 11 July 2026
  • Against Brazil, Solbakken’s side worked hard to leave their physically intimidating centre-forwards in one-on-one battles for long passes in behind.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of battles

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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 12 Jul. 2026.

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