as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
several chairs were knocked over in the scuffle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily
she scuffled along in shoes that were much too large for her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wrestle
to seize and attempt to unbalance one another for the purpose of achieving physical mastery
the burglar and the homeowner briefly scuffled together in the dark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of scuffle
Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 25 Jan. 2025
For one, the Penguins have been scuffling in recent games and badly needed a win to right their playoff aspirations.
—Josh Yohe, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
But the echoes of the deadly riot still reverberate through Capitol Hill, as Democrats and Republicans continue to scuffle over which history of Jan. 6, 2021, will endure.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 6 Jan. 2025
Ben Johnson wants to remind doubters of his scuffling Gophers men’s basketball team that No. 2 scoring option and starting point guard Mike Mitchell Jr. missed seven games earlier this season with a high ankle sprain.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 1 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for scuffle 
Verb
Democrats are scuffling to control the two houses of the state legislature — with a majority in neither.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 25 Jan. 2025
For one, the Penguins have been scuffling in recent games and badly needed a win to right their playoff aspirations.
—Josh Yohe, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
But the echoes of the deadly riot still reverberate through Capitol Hill, as Democrats and Republicans continue to scuffle over which history of Jan. 6, 2021, will endure.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 6 Jan. 2025
Ben Johnson wants to remind doubters of his scuffling Gophers men’s basketball team that No. 2 scoring option and starting point guard Mike Mitchell Jr. missed seven games earlier this season with a high ankle sprain.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 1 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for scuffle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuffle
Noun
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The move immediately became a key skirmish in Mr. Musk’s wider war on the federal bureaucracy.—
Chris Cameron,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2025
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The development is just the latest skirmish in a decades-long war that cyclists have waged to legally ride the trails in mountain biking’s birthplace.—
Maureen Gaffney,
Outside Online,
30 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Smaller breeds take the field in the first quarter, and the lineup shuffles to play the larger breeds in the fourth quarter.—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
8 Feb. 2025
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Some of that work has been controversial, like Gov. Jeff Landry's sudden moves to shuffle homeless people out from prime downtown locations.—
Chelsea Brasted,
Axios,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Photo: Ron Bull/Getty Images The back image of Book of Lives features a black-and-white photo of Atwood in the ’70s reading a copy of her second novel, Surfacing, which wrestles with national identity and the marginalization of women, both ambient and overt.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
11 Feb. 2025
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That converted shows into one-of-a-kind experiences, with Tews wrestling beaver mascots live onstage.—
Cory Stillman,
IndieWire,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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That grievance total was the second-highest tally since 2016, according to a USA TODAY Network analysis, suggesting current economic conditions and corporate policies are fueling more clashes over insurance coverage.—
David Robinson,
USA TODAY,
7 Feb. 2025
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Members of the Congolese Red Cross and civil protection workers bury dozens of victims of the recent clashes at a cemetery in Goma on Tuesday.—
Reuters,
NBC News,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Liv hesitates, does awkward stumble toward her, drops head onto Sally’s shoulder.—
George Saunders,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2025
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But after entering the All-Star break holding a Wild Card, Boston stumbled almost immediately in the second half.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Multi-stage boss fights like these are a highlight inviting communication and collaboration, the hallmarks of all the best co-op games.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
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The American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees fought the move on behalf of workers.—
Bart Jansen,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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O'Toole is overseeing the legal battle over Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's death sentence.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
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The base was originally named in 1918 for Gen. Braxton Bragg, a Confederate general from Warrenton, North Carolina, who was known for owning slaves and losing key Civil War battles that contributed to the Confederacy's downfall.—
Louis Casiano,
Fox News,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Boston stomped the competition last season en route to winning their record 18th NBA championship.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
1 Feb. 2025
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As the lead-in to headliners Red Clay Strays, 49 Winchester were a hard act to follow, with singer Isaac Gibson stomping about the stage while showing off the wide range of emotion in his voice.—
Josh Crutchmer,
Rolling Stone,
30 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near scuffle
Cite this Entry
“Scuffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuffle. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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