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
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Recent Examples of fracas
Mayor Daniel Lurie’s vision of San Francisco’s ascendant recovery was dealt a blow Thursday when a police officer who protects him was injured in a back-alley fracas in the Tenderloin.
—
J.d. Morris, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2026
The fracas has even revived the anti-military sentiment at Google, where a tiny fraction of its employees wrote a letter to the company imploring it to make a similar stand.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Jonny Fairplay went from being banned from all official Survivor events (the result of a Vanuatu finale after-party fracas) to back on the show for Micronesia.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026
Mamdani has downplayed the fracas in Washington Square Park as kids simply having some fun.
—Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fracas
J.d. Morris, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2026
The fracas has even revived the anti-military sentiment at Google, where a tiny fraction of its employees wrote a letter to the company imploring it to make a similar stand.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Jonny Fairplay went from being banned from all official Survivor events (the result of a Vanuatu finale after-party fracas) to back on the show for Micronesia.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026
Mamdani has downplayed the fracas in Washington Square Park as kids simply having some fun.
—Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fracas
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fracas
Noun
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With no end to the larger skirmish in sight, fears persist that the shipment of medical supplies could remain at risk.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The early skirmishes certainly appeared that way.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Other brewhouse brawls happen at Magnanimous Brewing in Tampa (Havoc And Haze) and Walking Tree Brewery in Vero Beach (Rooted In Chaos), often drawing 300 to 500 visitors, CCW co-owner Dan Ackerman says.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
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Angels’ Jorge Soler and Braves’ Reynaldo Lopez get a seven-game suspension for their brawl.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
All three judges scored it 98-92 for the 29-year-old Briton, who sustained cuts over both eyes from head clashes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
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And the clash of ideologies must now be balanced on the backs of many hardworking people trying to keep their children out of institutional care and on the Medicaid providers that support them.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
An alleged altercation in April 2024 involving Ye and a man — identified in court documents as John Doe — is at the core of the complaint.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
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In February, police were also called during an altercation involving Moore and Nesta before a mayoral debate.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Navy has 16 warships — 11 destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, an aircraft carrier and a littoral combat ship — in the Middle East out of a battle force of roughly 300 total warships.—
Konstantin Toropin,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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The Navy has 16 warships — 11 destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, an aircraft carrier, and a littoral combat ship — in the Middle East out of a battle force of roughly 300 total warships.—
Konstantin Toropin,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Republican candidates, State Senator Mayes Middleton and Central Texas Congressman Chip Roy, are in a very contentious fight.—
Jack Fink
April 12,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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The crowd laughed, and the Parenthood actor noted that people intervened and broke up the fight.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Anderson alleged Sayers tried to take a cellphone from witnesses immediately after the attack, leading to a scuffle.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
14 Apr. 2026
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Initial reports said visitors, mostly young people, were crammed against a single entrance and a scuffle broke out between those trying to leave and enter the site.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The second half ground almost to a halt with a few minor dustups for fouls and arguments.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
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Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin, a former Brewer who was in the middle of a dustup with Contreras last year, summed up his fiery personality.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fracas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fracas. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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