1
as in clash
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people they were thrown out of the party after starting a brawl
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Relevance
2
as in altercation
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions the student drama society's decision to put on the controversial play prompted a brawl at the school board meeting
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3
as in roar
loud, confused, and usually inharmonious sound we could hear the brawl of the river rapids ahead of us before we could actually see them
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily the Wilsons were always loudly brawling, and the neighbors were always shutting their windows
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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 brawl
ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026 Atlanta, which led 4-2 when the game was interrupted by the brawl, went on to a 7-2 victory. —Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026 Drivers brawled with attendants when the gas ran out, or when the lines weren’t moving fast enough, and cops closed down the stations, which made no one happy. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for brawl
Noun
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler and Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo López each received seven-game suspensions from Major League Baseball on Wednesday after they were ejected following their participation in a brawl Tuesday night. —ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026 Atlanta, which led 4-2 when the game was interrupted by the brawl, went on to a 7-2 victory. —Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
Massive crowds were packed shoulder-to-shoulder, dancing wildly, brawling and turning the shoreline into a scene of disorder right before multiple gunshots sent thousands sprinting in panic. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026 Drivers brawled with attendants when the gas ran out, or when the lines weren’t moving fast enough, and cops closed down the stations, which made no one happy. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for brawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawl
Noun
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All three judges scored it 98-92 for the 29-year-old Briton, who sustained cuts over both eyes from head clashes.— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
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And the clash of ideologies must now be balanced on the backs of many hardworking people trying to keep their children out of institutional care and on the Medicaid providers that support them.— DP Opinion, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The altercation was also caught on video, Kenny said.— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026
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Though the arrest took place in 2023, the incident made headlines again in March after a video of the altercation — showing Paul yelling, putting Mortensen in a headlock and throwing chairs at him while a child could be heard crying — was published by TMZ.— Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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On Saturday night, a great roar of affirmation, actually several great roars, answered that question.— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
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The wind suddenly picked up with a roar.— Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Against the backdrop of an island honeymoon, the two men clash and bicker before gradually uncovering an unexpected bond.— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
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For those of us interested in governing and not bickering, this is a good thing.— Gail Slater, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Fritznel Jean, 28, a resident of Boston, faces a count of causing mayhem and three counts of assault and battery on a police officer — one causing serious bodily injury — for the melee that took place at Transit Police headquarters the morning of April 10.— Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
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Gladiatorial combat was not a wild scrum, like the melee in a medieval tourney.— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Instead of postponing filming to resolve the labor dispute, producers pushed forward, crew members alleged.— Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2026
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Those discussions ended without a breakthrough, leaving core disputes unresolved — including the scope of Iran's nuclear activities and the conditions for ending the war that began in February.— Sara Cook, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management warned residents that demolition may produce loud noises and advised them to close their windows.— Joe Brandt, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
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The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park fought the noise of campus hoopla to present Duke Ellington's sacred music at Knowles Chapel.— Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mike Judd, a lawyer for a coalition of media organizations including The Associated Press that are fighting to preserve access, said Graf so far has focused on whether his rules inside the courtroom are being followed, not what the media is saying outside of court.— Matthew Brown, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2026
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Ackman is famous for fighting his way through deals; launching aggressive campaigns that invest in companies and force management to adopt measures like cutting costs or spinning off assets.— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/brawl. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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