as in skirmishes
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
several chairs were knocked over in the scuffle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of 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
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
-
These issues are not unique to the WNBA, as its affiliate league, the NBA, has weathered refereeing controversies and skirmishes over player pay for years.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
-
All these years later, Corigliano’s symphony has outlasted those skirmishes and emerged sounding fresh and exciting and powerful.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Because global air travel shuffles millions of people around the world daily, an outbreak of a very contagious disease anywhere can become a threat everywhere.—
Amy E. Stambach,
The Conversation,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
D'Vontaye Mitchell's widow still wrestles with grief In her letter, Harmon said all four men need to be held accountable in Mitchell's death and that she is still traumatized by memory of receiving the call informing her that her husband was gone.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Treutelaar, who also wrestles and plays lacrosse, attended football camps at Georgia, Illinois, Kansas State, Northwestern and Ohio State this summer and plans to follow in the footsteps of his father, Justin, a former Purdue long snapper.—
Bobby Narang,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
As the moon clashes with Venus, you’ve been left out of the group chat’s plans.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
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The issue has become increasingly important following a surge in sectarian clashes in recent months that left hundreds of civilians from Syria’s Alawite and Druze communities dead, many reportedly at the hands of fighters aligned with pro-government forces.—
Eyad Kourdi,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 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
-
An international team of war correspondents fights to report the truth.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Hartnett is in Canada filming an untitled project for Netflix, which focuses on a fisherman who fights to protect his family and community when a sea creature begins to threaten his town.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The lawsuit opens a new front in the legal battles the White House is waging against state and local officials, coming just hours after a federal judge blocked a similar deployment of the guard to Portland, Oregon.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
6 Oct. 2025
-
While Burton has attempted to reboot the series himself, past efforts were stalled by legal battles with Buffalo Toronto Public Media.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But there have been some career stumbles recently, a superhero disappointment in particular, that must have complicated Johnson’s conception of his remarkable career.—
Richard Lawson,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
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Wallen then stumbles to his feet in the middle of the road, as rain pours down, with close-up images showing Wallen in tattered clothes and covered in scrapes and cuts.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scuffles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuffles. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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