1
2
as in clashes
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
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 skirmishes
Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 6 June 2026
Inconspicuous blows against Denver escalated to skirmishes.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 31 May 2026
Thankfully, none of these skirmishes affects the guests’ satisfaction with the trip.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 May 2026
Tempers flared between the teams, leading to a couple of skirmishes.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 18 May 2026
Here are some photos from the second of three skirmishes in this always entertaining Show Me State clash.
—Jeff Rosen, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2026
The game was delayed with just under six minutes on the clock after several skirmishes broke out, leading to the ejections of Seals captain Wes Berg and Toronto’s Elijah Gash.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2026
The early skirmishes certainly appeared that way.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
The skirmishes are a preview for more campaigns later this year, when at least a half-dozen states will hold elections for utility regulators.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
One of those skirmishes, in fact, involved Childress himself, in 2011 at Kansas Speedway, when the then-65-year-old car owner for an opposing team got into a physical altercation with Busch after an on-track incident.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 6 June 2026
Inconspicuous blows against Denver escalated to skirmishes.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 31 May 2026
Thankfully, none of these skirmishes affects the guests’ satisfaction with the trip.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 May 2026
Tempers flared between the teams, leading to a couple of skirmishes.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 18 May 2026
Here are some photos from the second of three skirmishes in this always entertaining Show Me State clash.
—Jeff Rosen, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2026
The game was delayed with just under six minutes on the clock after several skirmishes broke out, leading to the ejections of Seals captain Wes Berg and Toronto’s Elijah Gash.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2026
The early skirmishes certainly appeared that way.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
The skirmishes are a preview for more campaigns later this year, when at least a half-dozen states will hold elections for utility regulators.
—ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skirmishes
Noun
-
The latest incident is one of several risky encounters reported at Iguazu Falls this year, the agency said.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
-
Authorities at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which spans parts of North Carolina and Tennessee, also reported a spike in encounters between aggressive bears and humans in April.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
And intense clashes at a New Jersey immigration center about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from where the World Cup final will be held are a reminder of the tests facing the White House.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
-
Slovenia’s Soča Valley carries World War I history — a museum in Kobarid covers the clashes between Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces — while Grossglockner, Austria’s highest peak, offers turquoise lakes at the glacier’s edge.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
As the man brawls with his in-laws, the boy is caught between two worlds, of male rage and female subjection.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Devils don’t have a legit C prospect, and Lawrence, a teammate of Devils prospects Mikhail Yegorov and Conrad Fondrk at BU, gives them one.—
Corey Pronman,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
The Dolphins doubled down on Red Raiders prospects after, earlier Friday, choosing Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez with their lone second-round pick.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Unlike so many iconic American fights, held in the halls of Congress or on the streets of major cities, this campaign is being waged for the most part in obscurity.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
-
This year, the event was more spread out in downtown Lee’s Summit, with the fights concentrated in the entrance to the festival area.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Brlan said the planter boxes along with artificial turf, plants and soil supplied by Uplift Property Management were a huge addition to the new garden.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
-
The cardboard boxes the food is packaged in are also being resold online, with one user selling them for $15 each.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His intervention comes as Washington indicts and probes governors for alleged cartel ties.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
The new wording would require a challenger to put forward evidence sufficient to support a finding of fabrication before the court probes further.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Situated on Route 33 in Manalapan, this state park has preserved the 18th-century landscape of one of the biggest battles of the Revolutionary War, where the Continental Army ambushed the British army along their route from Philadelphia to New York City.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
Both King Charles and the Princess of Wales have been open about their respective cancer battles, using their platforms to drive public awareness.—
Stephanie Bridger-Linning,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skirmishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skirmishes. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
