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as in clash
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
throughout the week of the convention, police engaged in skirmishes with some of the demonstrators
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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as in to prospect
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skirmish
Briana Aldridge, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
There have been skirmishes with Thiago’s distant relatives, the ones still living in isolation deep in the territory.
—Sadia Shepard, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Things then turned violent when someone tried to lunge at Black as marshals walked him out of the courtroom, leading to a skirmish appearing to involve about a dozen people.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2026
Other conflict hotspots include India/Pakistan following a deadly skirmish in 2025, Congo/Rwanda, and the ongoing civil war in Sudan.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skirmish
Noun
Collin County Jail The arrest comes one day after Ezeiruaku was told he was being fined $10,528 by the NFL for pulling the helmet off a New York Giants player after a skirmish during the Cowboys' loss to the Giants on January 4.
—Briana Aldridge, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
There have been skirmishes with Thiago’s distant relatives, the ones still living in isolation deep in the territory.
—Sadia Shepard, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Things then turned violent when someone tried to lunge at Black as marshals walked him out of the courtroom, leading to a skirmish appearing to involve about a dozen people.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2026
Other conflict hotspots include India/Pakistan following a deadly skirmish in 2025, Congo/Rwanda, and the ongoing civil war in Sudan.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skirmish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skirmish
Noun
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The tense encounters are happening at places like Target, Walmart and other private businesses.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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The December incident is one in a series of violent encounters involving federal officers since Trump ramped up immigration enforcement during his second term.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The clashes have since descended into an all-out civil war, characterized by ethnic violence, attacks on civilians and atrocities committed by all sides, according to humanitarian groups and foreign governments.—
ByGuy Davies,
ABC News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Iranian state television aired images of clashes and fires, while the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several police officers were killed overnight, underscoring the increasingly violent nature of the confrontations.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As a ballplayer, Kent was as irascible as Bonds; the two alphas reportedly brawled behind clubhouse doors, and famously clashed in the dugout during a 2002 game, when Bonds lunged for Kent’s throat and pushed him against the wall.—
Jeremy Collins,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
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The cabinets inhaled quarters as four players teamed up to brawl their way to save Maggie Simpson or battle Shredder across New York.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Perdomo is the younger brother of Atlanta Braves prospect Jose Perdomo, who signed for a $5 million bonus in 2024.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
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Dombrowski mentioned Otto Kemp, Johan Rojas and prospect Gabriel Rincones as backup outfield candidates.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
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This week, documents released amid the ongoing legal battle between Lively and Baldoni included a series of texts between Lively and Swift.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2026
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The legal battles and war of words between local and federal officials have mirrored the contentious scene on the ground in the state.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Minnesota prosecutors launched an online portal for residents to submit evidence related to the shooting in Minneapolis, vowing to probe the incident.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
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The treasury secretary is probing whether any of the money was somehow funneled outside the country.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Davisboro, Georgia Police Chief Leondus Dixon told CBS News a fight broke out among inmates during visitation hours at Washington State Prison in Davisboro.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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Sheffey is jumping in the fight.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Next, the team plans to explore more complex designs.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026
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This guide explores various methods to eliminate soap scum and offers preventive measures to stop its return.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skirmish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skirmish. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
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