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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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melees
Noun
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The curfew came following brawls with police, a racist threat and gunfire that led to a riot in the heart of Milwaukee's Black neighborhood on the city's north side.—
Steven Martinez,
jsonline.com,
3 Sep. 2025 -
Seattle Seahawks pratice erupted into many brawls.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, Desmond Castle stands watch beyond the village park—its stone battlements and arrow slits recalling Norman skirmishes and feudal lords.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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Of all the conflicts Trump has involved himself in since returning to the White House, the skirmishes over a colonial-era border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia may be the smallest.—
Matthew Tostevin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Melees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melees. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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