melees

noun

plural of melee
as in brawls
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people a verbal disagreement at the football game soon turned into a general melee involving scores of spectators

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 melees There was a bunch of melees on the ice today. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026 College basketball games recently have turned into full-contact melees after hard fouls on the court. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melees
  1. brawls
  2. clashes
Noun
  • After the final whistle blew, several brawls broke out between players, and even coaches appeared to get involved.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
  • The Balboa Peninsula, which Stapleton represents on the council, has historically been an infamous hot spot for public drinking, disruptive parties and brawls throughout the summer and especially during the Fourth of July.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of brawls
Noun
  • Sudden closures and delays in wages and severance pay have also prompted street protests and clashes with authorities, with the minimum wage still a persistent flashpoint.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 29 July 2026
  • On that note, when Venus in Virgo clashes with Mars in Gemini, desire and judgment can start working against each other.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Definition of clashes

Browse Nearby Words

melee
melees
meliorate
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Cite this Entry

“Melees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melees. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on melees

Nglish: Translation of melees for Spanish Speakers

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