as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
the two players got into a scrimmage off the court and got suspended
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Recent Examples of scrimmage
Some of that was a byproduct of two scrimmages at the draft combine last May in Chicago, where a 30% career 3-point shooter went 5 of 11 behind the longer NBA arc.
—
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Prentice played three years as CSU’s fullback from 2017 to 2019, thriving in the dirty work and recording just 180 yards from scrimmage.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
Tillman was the first selection in a schoolyard pick ’em of NFL players past and present being divided into teams, not for a scrimmage or football game, but for an exercise in which Tillman and other NFL stars would be tasked with making a short film.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2026
Etienne was a top-12 back in the NFL last season in scrimmage yards and rushing yards.
—Dianna Russini, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scrimmage
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Prentice played three years as CSU’s fullback from 2017 to 2019, thriving in the dirty work and recording just 180 yards from scrimmage.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
Tillman was the first selection in a schoolyard pick ’em of NFL players past and present being divided into teams, not for a scrimmage or football game, but for an exercise in which Tillman and other NFL stars would be tasked with making a short film.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2026
Etienne was a top-12 back in the NFL last season in scrimmage yards and rushing yards.
—Dianna Russini, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scrimmage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrimmage
Noun
-
The war began after several rounds of airstrikes and cross-border skirmishes, stemming from Pakistani claims that the Afghan government was harboring terrorists who used the country as a base to launch attacks against Pakistan.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
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The curbs were initially enacted in 2020 after a border skirmish escalated tensions between the world’s two most populous nations.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Taken together, the clashes in Virginia, New Jersey, Utah, Wisconsin, and other states point to a deeper institutional standoff.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
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Shifting opinions While the 2024 war saw relative unity in Lebanon behind Hezbollah’s clashes with the IDF – feelings driven by anger at the war in Gaza – this latest conflict has seen emboldened opposition to the armed group.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Longhorns have won the turnover battle in all but three of their games.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
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When Jokic was out in January, the Nuggets understood that the ideal upset formula involved winning the possession battle.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The company develops and makes products for civilian and military use, such as drone technologies used by Ukraine's armed forces in the fight against the Russian invasion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
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The votes mark incremental progress toward resolving at least some of the vacancies that have fueled the dispute, particularly in Utah, where Holyoak’s interim status has become a flashpoint in the broader fight.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scrimmage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrimmage. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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