skirmish

1 a brief clash between enemies or rivals the candidates' first debate was only a skirmish in a very long campaign Synonyms brush, hassle, run-in, scrape, encounterRelated Words argument, fight, quarrel, row, spat, squabble, tiff; battle, brawl, fray, wrangle

2 a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups throughout the week of the convention, riot police engaged in skirmishes with the demonstrators Synonyms battle, clash, combat, conflict, contest, dustup, fracas, fray, hassle, scrap, scrimmage, scrum, scuffle, fight, struggle, tussleRelated Words pitched battle, rough-and-tumble; affray [chiefly British], battle royal, brawl, broil, donnybrook, free-for-all, melee (also mêlée), mix-up, ruckus, ruction; blows, fistfight, fisticuffs, grapple, handgrips, punch-out, punch-up [chiefly British], slugfest; confrontation, duel, face-off, joust; altercation, argle-bargle [chiefly British], argument, argy-bargy [chiefly British], contretemps, controversy, cross fire, disagreement, dispute, falling-out, kickup, misunderstanding, quarrel, row, spat, squabble, tangle, tiff, wrangle; catfightNear Antonyms truce