1
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
the police broke up the fracas in the bar and threw both combatants in the lockup
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brawl
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people
police preparing for any fracas that might follow the soccer game
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fracas
In 2006, the rapper was involved in a fracas at London’s Heathrow Airport, during which seven police officers received minor injuries.
—
Lars Brandle, Billboard, 26 Aug. 2025
The intensity was also ramped up as there was a fracas between the teams, plus linebacker Jordyn Brooks was seen giving it to a teammate, reaching the point of physicality with him on the sideline.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2025
Still, the fracas surrounding rookie Shemar Stewart’s contract covers new ground.
—Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 24 July 2025
In one clip of the fracas shared by NJ Spotlight News, McIver could be heard telling officers not to touch her or Watson Coleman as McIver appeared to cling to the elder congresswoman.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fracas
Lars Brandle, Billboard, 26 Aug. 2025
The intensity was also ramped up as there was a fracas between the teams, plus linebacker Jordyn Brooks was seen giving it to a teammate, reaching the point of physicality with him on the sideline.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2025
Still, the fracas surrounding rookie Shemar Stewart’s contract covers new ground.
—Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 24 July 2025
In one clip of the fracas shared by NJ Spotlight News, McIver could be heard telling officers not to touch her or Watson Coleman as McIver appeared to cling to the elder congresswoman.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fracas
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fracas
Noun
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Regions of Africa and Southern Asia are embroiled in deadly and underreported skirmishes, and areas of Mexico and Haiti are torn by gang violence akin to civil war.—
Daniella Walsh,
Oc Register,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Delhi sees Beijing as its biggest threat, particularly since some border skirmishes that began in 2020.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That heated game ended in a post-match brawl that included Inter Miami players and a Seattle staff member throwing punches and Miami forward Luis Suarez spitting on a Sounders security official.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
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McNamara’s shooting of Green quickly garnered controversy after it was established — by witnesses and security video — that Green was a peacemaker in a brawl that erupted inside the La Victoria restaurant next to San Jose State University, where Green had done a campus visit earlier in the day.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The real clash with liberals is not over how big government should be, but over what the state should be empowered to do.—
Allan J. Lichtman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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Their violent clash of characters in the Marvel series, which has been a solid performer on Disney+, underpinned the original Netflix action series.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Student accused of mocking Charlie Kirk death Camryn Giselle Booker, a student at Texas Tech University, was arrested on charges of assault after an altercation with students mourning the death of Charlie Kirk.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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Campus police arrested a student at Texas Tech University in connection to an altercation with students who were mourning the death of Charlie Kirk, officials confirmed.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Republicans were unfazed by Democrats threatening to withhold their votes, accusing them of hypocrisy for condemning GOP efforts to win policy concessions in past funding battles.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The iconic items fit well in this book given how many Avengers don’t feel complete without a gadget or mystical item to carry into battle.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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What looked like a fair fight in the early 2010s — Everton finished above Liverpool in the final two seasons of Moyes’ first spell in charge — is very different in 2025.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
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Perhaps nowhere was the fight over meaning as pronounced as with the cryptic messages etched into the bullet cartridges by the shooter.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Things got testy between Florida and LSU during warm ups ahead of last week's tilt, and among the multiple pregame scuffles, one sticks out above the rest because of associate head coach and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke's involvement.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
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The coin’s creators have run across the field at Los Angeles Dodgers games and gotten into scuffles with famous gym creators, all as a means of hyping up their coin.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The attitude of last season has vanished, replaced by that performative pregame dustup as Texas A&M headed toward its locker room.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
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Again, while the details of the Newport Beach dustup are unique, complaints about harassment — in lawsuits and in day-to-day municipal work life — are increasingly common.—
Michael Slaten,
Oc Register,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fracas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fracas. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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