as in brawl
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people
a verbal disagreement at the football game soon turned into a general melee involving scores of spectators
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of melee
The incident outside the detention center resulted in a melee and ended with the Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat who is also running for New Jersey governor, getting arrested.
—
Luke Barr, ABC News, 14 May 2025
The car was shot up in the melee and the driver sped away, with the vehicle ultimately becoming disabled on the highway, Delva said.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 13 May 2025
Outside, Knicks and Celtics fans clashed and multiple fights broke out in a frenetic scene, and police detained several in the melee, according to fan accounts posted on X.
The emotion came as the Knicks ran back Game 1’s epic comeback.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 8 May 2025
Four people inside the bar heard the melee, stepped outside to help, and Cashaw, the complaint continues, then opened fire at least 20 times striking all five victims.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melee
Luke Barr, ABC News, 14 May 2025
The car was shot up in the melee and the driver sped away, with the vehicle ultimately becoming disabled on the highway, Delva said.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 13 May 2025
Outside, Knicks and Celtics fans clashed and multiple fights broke out in a frenetic scene, and police detained several in the melee, according to fan accounts posted on X.
The emotion came as the Knicks ran back Game 1’s epic comeback.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 8 May 2025
Four people inside the bar heard the melee, stepped outside to help, and Cashaw, the complaint continues, then opened fire at least 20 times striking all five victims.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for melee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melee
Noun
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The hostilities began when Trump lashed out at Musk's criticism of the Republican tax-cut and spending bill, and quickly escalated into an all-out online brawl on Trump's Truth Social and Musk's X, with prominent businessmen, analysts and political names weighing in on the fight.—
Anniek Bao,Dylan Butts,Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
6 June 2025
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The overwhelming majority of Republicans stand behind President Donald Trump over Elon Musk, according to new polling, which comes as the public feud between the two billionaires erupted into an all-out brawl.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Nuñez warned that more skirmishes could occur on Sunday as PSG will parade on the Champs-Élysées before celebrating the title with their fans at the Parc des Princes stadium.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
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Thailand and Cambodia have a long history of land disputes, though Thailand said after the short skirmish that the situation had been resolved.—
DAVID RISING,
Arkansas Online,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Melee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melee. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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