as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
several chairs were knocked over in the scuffle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 scuffle
Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2025
The Royals’ offense is still scuffling, but the rotation has taken its performance to another level.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2025
Jayson Tatum flirted with a triple-double (22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, two steals) and went 5-for-9 from three after scuffling in Games 1 and 2.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 10 May 2025
The right-hander dominated the scuffling Rockies hitters, striking out 10, walking none, and allowing just three hits over seven innings.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scuffle
Verb
The series win over the Yankees was just their second series win of the season, as the Orioles had scuffled to begin the season.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2025
The Royals’ offense is still scuffling, but the rotation has taken its performance to another level.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2025
Jayson Tatum flirted with a triple-double (22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, two steals) and went 5-for-9 from three after scuffling in Games 1 and 2.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 10 May 2025
The right-hander dominated the scuffling Rockies hitters, striking out 10, walking none, and allowing just three hits over seven innings.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scuffle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scuffle
Noun
-
Nuñez warned that more skirmishes could occur on Sunday as PSG will parade on the Champs-Élysées before celebrating the title with their fans at the Parc des Princes stadium.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
-
Thailand and Cambodia have a long history of land disputes, though Thailand said after the short skirmish that the situation had been resolved.—
DAVID RISING,
Arkansas Online,
31 May 2025
Verb
-
The Discovery+ streaming service will be shuffled into the Global Networks company.—
Stephen Battaglio,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
-
Instead, set aside time each week to sort through each piece of paper (rather than picking it up and shuffling it around multiple times per week!).—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Fear of falling behind That worry of falling behind is something many men are wrestling with, according to a recent report by the Speaking with American Men (SAM) project, a new effort aimed at helping Democrats better reach and connect with young men.—
Elena Moore,
NPR,
13 June 2025
-
Many bishops are wrestling with similar downsizing questions as the number of church-going Catholics in parts of the U.S. and Europe shrinks and once-full churches stand empty.—
Nicole Winfield,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2025
Noun
-
This clash has had tangible repercussions: Tesla’s stock experienced a significant drop, erasing over $150 billion in market value, while Trump Media saw a decline of approximately $500 million.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
-
Boys lacrosse In a wild Div. 4 round of 16 clash, host Littleton received a goal from Zach Milner with five seconds remaining to list the Tigers to a thrilling 13-12 victory over host Lynnfield.—
Brian Roach,
Boston Herald,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
While sorting through storage in their Rhode Island studio to prep those reissues, Ivy stumbled upon a treasure trove of reel-to-reel tapes and old hard drives with unused material.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
4 June 2025
-
On a remote island in northern Norway, metal detectorists stumbled upon a pair of bronze treasures.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
Holland has been one of the more active UFC competitors since losing that contest by decision, fighting at middleweight and welterweight.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
-
Frustrated Democrats are fighting to counter President Trump’s flood-the-zone approach by adopting a mirror strategy with a simple goal: To flood the zone right back.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
1 June 2025
Noun
-
The two journalists paid tribute to the late MTV VJ, who died Wednesday following a prolonged battle with breast cancer, during a CNN segment on Thursday.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
14 June 2025
-
Some media companies are fighting legal battles with AI startups for copyright infringement, arguing that the infiltration of click-free answers is a serious threat to what has become a modern business model for journalism.—
Alexandra York,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
In a world where we’re constantly reminded that physical media is dead — that the future is just algorithms stomping our faces, forever — the fact that the Criterion Closet has gone viral suggests that all is not lost.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
29 May 2025
-
No one could agree on whether the brawl of as many as nine young men was limited to fists or if its participants were also kicking and stomping.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scuffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scuffle. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share