SKIRMISHES Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

skirmishes 1 of 2

noun

plural of skirmish

as in encounters

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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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

truces

skirmishes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of skirmish

as in brawls

Related Words

as in prospects

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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 skirmishes

Noun

Frantic skirmishes between the family and the beast take place as the house floods, and eventually the invading creature is tangled up in a trap. — William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026 What followed were decades of a seemingly endless cycle of skirmishes, all-out wars, and (sometimes failed) peace accords. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026 Denman also sparked one of the numerous skirmishes at practice with a powerful stiff-arm on one of TCU’s safeties. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2026 For professors who studied literary themes and metaphors for a living, theory endowed their scholarship with the armature of a larger purpose, transforming textual analysis into jargony skirmishes in a crusade for social justice. — Emily Eakin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 Pantani had targeted this stage from the start of the Tour and his Mercatone Uno team helped set the pace as the peloton made their way from Saint-Étienne to the foot of the Alpe but even once there Pantani bided his time in the early skirmishes. — Duncan Alexander, New York Times, 24 July 2026 Oil prices jumped 6% on the news, following a violent weekend of skirmishes in the Persian Gulf as both sides attempted to assert control over the strait. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 July 2026 Negotiations have yet to produce a major breakthrough as skirmishes over the Strait continued this week. — Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 Johnson brushes off the skirmishes, broadly speaking, as part of the governing process. — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for skirmishes

Noun

Enjoy live music and up-close encounters with animal ambassadors.

— Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026
On April 1st, Trump’s presence generated dark comedy and cringily implausible encounters.

— Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of encounters

Noun

After months of sharp clashes, the winners of Tuesday’s primaries are now pivoting for another round of battles against new challengers in the November election.

— Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
Ultimately, the immediate need for affordable, abundant solar capacity clashes with the goal of a self-sufficient supply chain, making price the primary driver for now.

— Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of clashes

Verb

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
Winger prospects Liam Greentree, Brody Lamb, Nathan Aspinall and Jacob Battaglia are all set to turn pro this season.

— Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 28 June 2026

Definition of prospects

Noun

Shields appears to be positioning herself for more competitive fights against women in smaller weight classes.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Healthcare could emerge as one of the defining policy fights in Georgia's race for governor, according to a new statewide poll that found concerns over cost, access and quality cut across political lines.

— Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of fights

Verb

On Wednesday, Johnson signed an executive order that boxes out problem vendors that don't more tightly regulate against straw purchases.

— Chris Tye, CBS News, 29 July 2026
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

Definition of boxes

Verb

Edwidge Danticat probes the ideas of safety, home, and survival all while examining the consequences of not speaking about one’s pain.

— Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2026
Looking for Loftus’ motivations, Aviv probes the psychologist’s memories of her mentally ill mother’s probable suicide and her own childhood abuse by a babysitter.

— Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of probes

Noun

Louder Than Fear, directed by Justin Krook and Michael Dwyer, documents the star’s journey to fame and his personal battles, including the aftermath of his 2008 private plane crash.

— Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
The eviction process was protracted and followed a series of complex legal battles led by residents of the encampment, who organized as a collective to advocate for their rights.

— Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026