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
  • Emboldened by multiple skirmishes, TCU’s offense had its best day of camp, offering a glimpse of what the new-look scheme could be during the season.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026
  • In the following days there were sporadic reports of minor skirmishes between protesters and police forces, which were reinforced with more troops.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
Definition of skirmishes
Noun
  • As the moon clashes with Mercury, beware of presenting your biases as fact.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The company's clashes with unions date back years, with battles over employment status, arbitration proceedings, working conditions, and more rendering it a marquee villain in the eyes of labor advocates.
    — Paxton Honerkamp, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of clashes
Noun
  • Milošević, in her UFC debut, earned a $100,000 performance bonus for her dominant victory, quickly setting her sights on future fights in the 135-pound division.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • With Congress closely divided and new Proposition 50 maps creating intraparty fights, how such voters act will matter.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of fights
Noun
  • Louder Than Fear, directed by Justin Krook and Michael Dwyer, documents the star’s journey to fame and his personal battles, including the aftermath of his 2008 private plane crash.
    — Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The eviction process was protracted and followed a series of complex legal battles led by residents of the encampment, who organized as a collective to advocate for their rights.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 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 8 Aug. 2026.

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