brawl 1 of 2

noun

Definition of brawlnext
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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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

brawl

2 of 2

verb

ˈbrȯl How to pronounce brawl (audio)
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
Noun
One of the most memorable moments from that 2011-12 Rangers season came when Bickel was involved in an infamous line brawl with the Devils after the opening faceoff of a March game. — Joe Smith, New York Times, 23 July 2026 When the final whistle blew on Sunday, there was some controversy, as brawls broke out on the pitch between Argentina and Spain players, which FIFA will be investigating. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
Verb
Another worker described the chaos as well over a dozen teens brawled inside the diner. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 17 June 2026 The conflict that ensues is startling in the intensity of its violence, as bodies brawl and break in the mud, flaming torches are taken to the face, and red-hot blades are seared into flesh. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for brawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawl
  1. clash
  2. altercation
  3. roar
  4. bicker
  5. melee
  6. dispute
  7. noise
  8. fight
Noun
  • Cope & Christian Cage retained and immediately set up a clash with the Young Bucks at All In.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • But any hope Piastri had of staying in contention against Norris was extinguished in his bizarre clash with Carlos Sainz, the Williams driver Piastri was coming up to lap a few laps after his second stop.
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of clash
Noun
  • The two got into a physical fight, and someone shared the home-security-camera footage of the altercation with TMZ.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 28 July 2026
  • Photos appear to show one such altercation, with a fan attempting to grab Preston from the sideline.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
Definition of altercation
Noun
  • Round out your visit with a ride aboard the Maid of the Mist, descend into the gorge at Cave of the Winds, or simply pause to take in the roar and mist of one of North America’s most spectacular natural wonders.
    — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026
  • And there was Nacua, gliding underneath the pass and taking it to the end zone to a roar of cheers.
    — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of roar
Verb
  • After bickering with Percy over her involvement in the mission, Thalia ultimately drives away from the scene.
    — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026
  • Establishment figures such as Jeffries and the party’s 2028 presidential candidates will need to grasp that the relationship between the DSA and the Democratic Party is not one of occasionally bickering siblings, but of parasite and host.
    — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Definition of bicker
Noun
  • Paredes, who had already received a yellow card in the game, was booked again for his part in the melee and was shown a red card.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
  • To his credit, Garcia didn’t react, but the incident led to another melee.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of melee
Noun
  • Jeffrey Baldwin, who founded an advocacy group after fighting his own foreclosure battle, argued a complaint system without enforcement powers would do little to help homeowners facing disputes.
    — Nora O'Neill July 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 July 2026
  • McDonald, though, said national leaders have warned that barring transgender members would open the DAR up to having its tax-exempt status revoked, which McDonald disputes.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
Definition of dispute
Noun
  • Planning Director Cori Reaume told the council that the specific use permits means city staff would consider noise, water systems and effects of data centers on adjacent properties.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
  • But lost amid the noise were two other mammoth data center projects making moves in metro Atlanta, both of which filed key state paperwork on the same day as OpenAI.
    — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of noise
Verb
  • If your body has been asking you in a few ways to slow down (like feeling a cough coming on, or a tiredness that won’t shake off), stop fighting against what your body or heart is trying to tell you.
    — Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Only one helicopter was able to scoop water from the sea to fight the blaze.
    — Mark Carlson, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of fight

Browse Nearby Words

bravura
brawl
brawled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawl. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on brawl

Nglish: Translation of brawl for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about brawl

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