as in skirmishes
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
several chairs were knocked over in the scuffle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in shuffles
to move heavily or clumsily
she scuffled along in shoes that were much too large for her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrestles
to seize and attempt to unbalance one another for the purpose of achieving physical mastery
the burglar and the homeowner briefly scuffled together in the dark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of scuffles
Steven T. Dennis, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
This helps keep the smaller canines safe and avoids potential scuffles.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
But if Boston scuffles after also losing Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford and Luke Kornet this offseason, Stevens and head coach Joe Mazzulla could be more inclined to keep Tatum sidelined until next season.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
The coin’s creators have run across the field at Los Angeles Dodgers games and gotten into scuffles with famous gym creators, all as a means of hyping up their coin.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2025
Police got involved to draw counter-protestors away after scuffles with protestors.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Dozens of protesters were arrested and there were some scuffles with police.
—Stephane Mahe, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Last month, video surfaced of similar scuffles outside the court.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
And then there are return volleys about the hypocrisy of expecting fights or scuffles to create urgency when players have been ostracized in the past for picking fights and scuffles.
—Nick Suss, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
Capitol hallways have become an endless series of partisan scrums and press conferences where the two sides play the blame game, occasionally to each others’ faces on camera in impromptu scuffles.
—Steven T. Dennis, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
This helps keep the smaller canines safe and avoids potential scuffles.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
But if Boston scuffles after also losing Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford and Luke Kornet this offseason, Stevens and head coach Joe Mazzulla could be more inclined to keep Tatum sidelined until next season.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
The coin’s creators have run across the field at Los Angeles Dodgers games and gotten into scuffles with famous gym creators, all as a means of hyping up their coin.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2025
Police got involved to draw counter-protestors away after scuffles with protestors.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Dozens of protesters were arrested and there were some scuffles with police.
—Stephane Mahe, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Last month, video surfaced of similar scuffles outside the court.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
And then there are return volleys about the hypocrisy of expecting fights or scuffles to create urgency when players have been ostracized in the past for picking fights and scuffles.
—Nick Suss, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuffles
Noun
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David Wolf, the executive director of the Legacy of the Plains Museum in Scottsbluff, said experts estimate that as many 10 people died for every mile of the trail ‒ perhaps as many as 20,000 travelers, plus an unknown number of Native Americans killed during skirmishes.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Amid the skirmishes that ensued, federal agents fired a chemical agent toward a protester at near-point-blank range, and security personnel later opened fire on a U-Haul truck that had backed up toward a barrier on the island’s bridge, injuring the driver and an apparent bystander.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That’s a solid dramatic question, but one that might’ve been more productive as an inciting incident, as too much of this low-budget drama shuffles around subjects that demand incisive action in 2025, effectively creating a subtle irony that undermines the film’s own point.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
4 Nov. 2025
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Gakpo is deeper, and Wirtz pushes forward as the central member of Liverpool’s forward line, while Ekitike shuffles across as the left of the trio.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Rotunda is the real-life father of late pro wrestler Bray Wyatt and his brother, who wrestles as Bo Dallas.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
29 Oct. 2025
-
In London Fog, Kaszas wrestles with anxiety, explores the many modern paths to parenthood, and reflects on growing up with a single immigrant mother — all while trying not to let success change him.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
On Friday, clashes between protesters and immigration agents erupted near a middle school in Evanston, a suburb north of Chicago.—
NPR,
NPR,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Early on, federal agents guarding the building deployed tear gas and shot pepper balls in clashes with protesters and arrested some of them, including some charged with felonies on suspicion of assaulting or blocking officers.—
Nicquel Terry Ellis,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Mussolini stomps and swirls around, the camera keeping him and his increasingly frenzied supporters in sight.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The guy just f****** stomps right on my face.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The festival’s Critics’ Award went to Love Me Tender, which sees Vicky Krieps play a lawyer who fights her ex-husband for custody of their son after starting a new relationship.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Eating cruciferous vegetables supports the body’s detoxification process, fights against inflammation and cell damage.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Nor are the ongoing battles to comply with rules both at home and abroad.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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The court battles that followed won the tribe a crucial gaming compact, and the ability to buy the land that would become home to Sky River Casino.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But Zoë’s first adaptation stumbles out of the gate — in large part because this show isn’t really her show.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
29 Oct. 2025
-
With the three Premier League stumbles and a grating 1-0 Champions League shutout to Galatasaray, Liverpool found itself with four uninterrupted losses for the first time since 2014.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scuffles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuffles. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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