skirmish 1 of 2

noun

ˈskər-mish How to pronounce skirmish (audio)
Definition of skirmishnext
1
as in encounter
a brief clash between enemies or rivals the candidates' first debate was only a skirmish in a very long campaign

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
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

skirmish

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to brawl

Related Words
2
as in to prospect

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of skirmish
Noun
The eagle, beloved worldwide through a Big Bear nest livestream with mate Shadow and eaglets Sandy and Luna, was rescued emaciated after a skirmish with younger birds. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026 There were one-on-one periods between the receivers and cornerbacks, a brief skirmish and extensive team periods. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 31 July 2026
Verb
The two sides have also skirmished along the border in the past. — NPR, 12 Oct. 2025 Steve’s gun barked almost in my ear, and the sound brought that treetop skirmish to a sudden conclusion. — Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for skirmish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skirmish
  1. encounter
  2. clash
  3. brawl
  4. prospect
  5. battle
  6. probe
  7. fight
  8. explore
Noun
  • One officer is now under investigation after the encounter at a neighborhood pool that led to arrests, allegations of excessive force, and calls for his firing.
    — Marissa Armas, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • As bears have become increasingly common in Connecticut, so have their encounters with humans.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of encounter
Noun
  • Its vibrant colors and familiar texture became fashion material, incorporated into the fishnets, color clashes and styling experiments surrounding her tour with Skillibeng.
    — Desjah Altvater, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Be sure to draw appropriate boundaries while Venus and Neptune clash.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of clash
Verb
  • The perils of brawling with a bin Professor Tonge puts the likelihood of an upset at around 30%.
    — Mark Rice-Oxley, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Punk and Rhodes brawled as WWE officials pulled them apart before SmackDown went off the air.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of brawl
Verb
  • The city tries to keep its idiosyncratic businesses going while prospecting for newcomers.
    — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Looking down the line, prospects Bo Davidson and Parks Harber, who are both playing for Triple-A Sacramento, could see some time in the Giants’ outfield down the stretch.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of prospect
Noun
  • Four months later, my mom began a private battle against death when she was diagnosed with polio.
    — Dr. Marianne Parshley, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Following a slew of casualties (including James Norton’s Ormund Hightower) during a massive battle between the Blacks and the Greens at Tumbleton, Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) jumps to her death off screen in King’s Landing.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of battle
Verb
  • Whether federal prosecutors and investigators are also probing the development of the soccer complex is unknown.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2026
  • So, a team of researchers led by Tomasz Smoleński, assistant professor at the University of Basel, probed the crystal using light.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of probe
Noun
  • With just four games of their regular season remaining, their challenge for the promotion play-offs seemed to be slipping away without much of a fight.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • No matter, seconds later Scott's corner threw multiple towels in the ring to stop the fight.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of fight
Verb
  • The research, published in Chem Circularity, explores a system based on calcium looping, a process that uses the same basic material—limestone—that is already central to cement manufacturing.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Art fairs, collectors’ homes, artists’ studios, galas… The film is a welcoming and entertaining dive amongst the 1% and explores the complicated relationship between artists and commerce.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of explore

Phrases Containing skirmish

Browse Nearby Words

skips (out)
skirmish
skirmished
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Cite this Entry

“Skirmish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skirmish. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on skirmish

Nglish: Translation of skirmish for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about skirmish

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