as in skirmishes
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 scrimmages
And on a day like Tuesday — with McMillan taking part in individual drills but not in team scrimmages — Legette was one of a myriad receivers to step up.
—
Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2026
By the time the combine’s midweek scrimmages take place, there seems to be no more data to collect.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
There were shooting drills, too, and various sized scrimmages.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Nawrocki was relieved in the fifth inning by Caleb Turner who was making his first appearance in a game since the Bearcats’ early-season scrimmages.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026
On the ice, the Ducks alternated between hard practices packed with battle drills and scrimmages.
—Sean Gentille, New York Times, 21 May 2026
The Bulldogs have four practices remaining this spring, and two of them will be scrimmages.
—Connor Riley, AJC.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Tatum then ramped up his activity, which included practicing with Boston’s G League team and running through full-speed scrimmages with Celtics teammates before making his season debut on March 6.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
But after being expected to take the next step – participating in full-contact scrimmages and practices – the team scaled back Curry’s work.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2026
By the time the combine’s midweek scrimmages take place, there seems to be no more data to collect.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
There were shooting drills, too, and various sized scrimmages.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Nawrocki was relieved in the fifth inning by Caleb Turner who was making his first appearance in a game since the Bearcats’ early-season scrimmages.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026
On the ice, the Ducks alternated between hard practices packed with battle drills and scrimmages.
—Sean Gentille, New York Times, 21 May 2026
The Bulldogs have four practices remaining this spring, and two of them will be scrimmages.
—Connor Riley, AJC.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Tatum then ramped up his activity, which included practicing with Boston’s G League team and running through full-speed scrimmages with Celtics teammates before making his season debut on March 6.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
But after being expected to take the next step – participating in full-contact scrimmages and practices – the team scaled back Curry’s work.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrimmages
Noun
-
One of those skirmishes, in fact, involved Childress himself, in 2011 at Kansas Speedway, when the then-65-year-old car owner for an opposing team got into a physical altercation with Busch after an on-track incident.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2026
-
Inconspicuous blows against Denver escalated to skirmishes.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
And intense clashes at a New Jersey immigration center about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from where the World Cup final will be held are a reminder of the tests facing the White House.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
-
Slovenia’s Soča Valley carries World War I history — a museum in Kobarid covers the clashes between Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces — while Grossglockner, Austria’s highest peak, offers turquoise lakes at the glacier’s edge.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Unlike so many iconic American fights, held in the halls of Congress or on the streets of major cities, this campaign is being waged for the most part in obscurity.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
-
This year, the event was more spread out in downtown Lee’s Summit, with the fights concentrated in the entrance to the festival area.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Situated on Route 33 in Manalapan, this state park has preserved the 18th-century landscape of one of the biggest battles of the Revolutionary War, where the Continental Army ambushed the British army along their route from Philadelphia to New York City.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
Both King Charles and the Princess of Wales have been open about their respective cancer battles, using their platforms to drive public awareness.—
Stephanie Bridger-Linning,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scrimmages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrimmages. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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