fracas

noun

ˈfrā-kəs How to pronounce fracas (audio)
Definition of fracasnext
1
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups the police broke up the fracas in the bar and threw both combatants in the lockup

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brawl
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people police preparing for any fracas that might follow the soccer game

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 fracas From here, a fracas of colors, textures, and patterns permeates every last corner of this 57-room hotel. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026 Three of the six people injured in the top-floor fracas were police officers, according to Sgt. — Michael Loria, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 The fracas in the video, of course, is a distraction from the music that’s playing in the background, ostensibly a song from the record, which is notable since the announcement didn’t come with a track list or a single. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026 South Lake Tahoe Mayor Cody Bass, arrested after a fracas outside a Tahoe-area bar last year, was found guilty of misdemeanor harassment in the September 2025 incident, the Tahoe Daily Tribune reported. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fracas
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fracas
  1. skirmish
  2. brawl
  3. clash
  4. altercation
  5. battle
  6. fight
  7. scuffle
  8. dustup
Noun
  • Interior Secretary Harold Ickes ended the skirmish by imposing a truce and persuading Congress to designate the dam as a federal project.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • And then late in the second half, Miami was called for two 15-yard penalties following a punt with Bobby Pruitt called for a facemask and Keona Davis a personal foul that occurred during a skirmish after the play.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of skirmish
Noun
  • If Republicans lose big next month, there’ll be a brawl to assign blame — which consultants blew it, which ads wasted money, which issues didn’t work.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • There are brawls over policy that lead to lawsuits, but the main drama is the 2023 school board election, where the Democrats hoped to reverse the Republicans’ 6-3 majority.
    — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of brawl
Noun
  • By Saturday, demonstrations over rising living costs, school conditions and declining public services had escalated into clashes with police, fires, looting and attacks on public buildings in several cities.
    — Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The decades-old rivalry has favored United in the last seven meetings at Elland Road, but Leeds head into Sunday's clash in strong form, with two wins and three draws placing them 7th on the table.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of clash
Noun
  • Lazio faced Juventus, whose coach Luciano Spalletti is serving a one-match suspension following his altercation with Cagliari coach Fabio Pisacane.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Over 20 shots were fired by multiple people during an early-Saturday altercation in downtown Boise, the Boise Police Department reported Saturday.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of altercation
Noun
  • The leader, facing a tough re-election battle, has focused much of his campaign ahead of Tuesday’s vote on security.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2026
  • By focusing on the battles fought in luxury department stores, fashion shows, high-end spas, nail salons, and the home, the film illustrated just how limited even privileged women’s options were.
    — Raymond Ang, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of battle
Noun
  • The film follows Jiwa, a father who sacrifices everything in a fight to save Juna, his son, who has blood cancer.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The confrontation escalated into a fight that left both tourists injured.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of fight
Noun
  • Much of the two-week trial hinged on Davis’ own accounts of the killing in media and in a memoir, which prosecutors said was precipitated by a scuffle between Davis’ nephew and Shakur on the night of his death.
    — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Last year, the NFL suspended Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch for one game for instigating a scuffle with the Kansas City Chiefs.
    — Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of scuffle
Noun
  • That dustup is typically followed by a defense in Puck’s media newsletter, the reflexively anti-rank-and-file outlet where some media bosses and spokespeople go to air grievances about their unruly staff.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • After the dustups, the offense went from taking blows from the defense to delivering some of its own.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026
Definition of dustup

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Cite this Entry

“Fracas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fracas. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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