as in brawls
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of melees
College basketball games recently have turned into full-contact melees after hard fouls on the court.
—
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melees
Noun
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There are five consecutive brawls in the final two minutes, including one involving both goalies.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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This is a grand adventure and cracking good mystery awash with gaslighting, brawls, murders, red herrings and a secret society.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As the southern Gulf Stream clashes with the northern Labrador Current, the rough waters steer sailors toward shallow shoals and ultimate disaster.—
Brian Higgins,
Outside,
2 Mar. 2026
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Gyllenhaal tells me, wryly — of behind-the-scenes clashes between the director and the studio.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Melees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melees. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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