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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
1
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as in to prospect
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skirmish
Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2025
Watching the map provides all the information about where combatants are moving, what skirmishes they’re engaged in, and where points of convergence may arise.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2025
Carter Malkasian, Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2025
This is the third bench-clearing skirmish for the Angels this season, though none has resulted in ejections.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for skirmish
Noun
The case has become a classic watercooler smash in both the real world, where pro- and anti-Read protesters clashed outside the courthouse, and on social media where partisans skirmish seemingly without end.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2025
Watching the map provides all the information about where combatants are moving, what skirmishes they’re engaged in, and where points of convergence may arise.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
Border skirmishes between China and the Soviet Union in the 1969 Sino-Soviet conflict resulted in hundreds of casualties.
—Carter Malkasian, Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2025
This is the third bench-clearing skirmish for the Angels this season, though none has resulted in ejections.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for skirmish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skirmish
Noun
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Advertisement Advertisement The high-profile summit in Anchorage, the first in-person encounter between the two leaders since 2019, was aimed at exploring a path toward a cease-fire in the war in Ukraine, even though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had not been invited.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
16 Aug. 2025
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The second major encounter came in July 2018 in Helsinki, Finland.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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However, those same clashes can be transformed into deeper connections with a little effort and understanding.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
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When it has been used, the stealth fighter has generally remained far away from frontline clashes, intelligence reports from the British government indicated in early 2023.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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After a show of respect, John Cena and Cody Rhodes brawled like crazy.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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The men Danielson brawled with—Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, and Gabe Kidd—were all members or associates of the Blackpool Combat Club, a faction that Danielson himself founded alongside Moxley.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 July 2025
Verb
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Some league sources have speculated that this was in part financially motivated, since hiring a new GM and head coach while still owing Schoen and Daboll tens of millions through 2026 could have been less attractive to prospect buyers.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
15 July 2025
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Bleak prospects More than 200 people have been killed in Iran, according to Tehran, with Israel’s strikes taking out much of the key leadership in the country’s military and nuclear program.—
CNN staff,
CNN Money,
19 June 2025
Noun
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Europe is on track for its worst wildfire season on record as swaths of the continent — including France, Spain, Albania, Portugal and Greece — battle raging, deadly fires as temperature soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
12 Aug. 2025
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking a judge to jail Beto O'Rourke, claiming the former Democratic congressman violated a court order by fundraising to support the dozens of state Democratic lawmakers who have fled the state amid its redistricting battle.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This probing memoir tells that story, along with Nguyen’s path forward as an activist.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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After days of backlash, Trump instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to begin the process to unseal the materials from the grand jury probes into Epstein.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Instead, dozens of weekly fight nights and four big events a year will be freely available to all Paramount Plus subscribers.—
David Bloom,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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He was arrested three days after the fights and has been detained at the Hamilton County Justice Center.—
Kevin Grasha,
The Enquirer,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Although initial safety profiles are encouraging and side effects manageable, ongoing studies are exploring methods to reduce or eliminate immune suppression, such as gene editing and immune cloaking techniques.—
William A. Haseltine,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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The story draws on forecasting research to explore how emerging AI could plausibly reshape policing and justice.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skirmish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skirmish. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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