SKIRMISHES Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

skirmishes 1 of 2

noun

plural of skirmish

as in encounters

a brief clash between enemies or rivals the candidates' first debate was only a skirmish in a very long campaign

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in clashes

a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups throughout the week of the convention, police engaged in skirmishes with some of the demonstrators

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

truces

skirmishes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of skirmish

as in brawls

Related Words

as in prospects

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Dissimilar 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 skirmishes

Noun

Apart from a few tear-gas skirmishes, the demonstrations ended peacefully. — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026 Modern politics is a constant string of skirmishes over word choice. — David Litt, Time, 23 Oct. 2026 This leads to even more behind-the-scenes skirmishes laced with character-centric comedy, as opposing factions align. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 Ties between the two countries remain strained over their long-running Himalayan border dispute, which erupted into a deadly skirmishes in 2020 that saw soldiers from both sides use rocks and iron rods in brutal hand-to-hand combat. — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026 Oasis’s Live ’25 was one of the biggest tours of the decade, marking the band’s first performances in 15 years after brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher’s intense skirmishes led to the band breaking up in 2009. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026 Others speak of letting go and moving on, hinting at ideological skirmishes between nihilism and existentialism which aren’t quite allowed to emerge from beneath the film’s oppressive wordiness until late into its runtime. — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026 Its outcome will be a major milestone in the decades-long political skirmishes over CEQA. — Dan Walters, Oc Register, 26 Aug. 2026 In 1988, for instance, Khomeini finally agreed to end his war with Iraq after the United States began engaging Iranian naval ships in direct skirmishes, leading him to fear that Reagan might formally align with Saddam Hussein’s regime. — Nate Swanson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for skirmishes

Noun

Without the possibility of peace, encounters between rival colonies may continue to trigger violent confrontations.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
At Holmen, encounters with nature became part of the daily rhythm.

— Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of encounters

Noun

Those clashes came as social unrest has set Europe's streets ablaze from France and Italy to Spain and Portugal, fueled by youth frustration over the state of public education, social services and the high cost of housing.

— JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
The presidency said the military deployment began the day after the clashes.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of clashes

Verb

With the league’s mega TV deal and the growth prospects domestically and internationally, the business of the league is starting to mirror that of the NFL—and investors are clamoring to secure a part of it.

— Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 9 Oct. 2026
The Bank of Canada warned this month that new tariffs had made the country’s growth prospects more uncertain and increased upside risks to inflation.

— Jenni Reid, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of prospects

Noun

There were messy confirmation fights over controversial Cabinet picks, the era of DOGE and back-and-forths over trade policy.

— Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
In a preview of political fights to come over artificial intelligence, the data center industry is starting to spend money on elections for the first time.

— Theodore Schleifer, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of fights

Verb

Guests learned about red panda conservation and were able to support the zoo’s red pandas through special animal adoption boxes available for purchase.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
Pack in a picnic lunch from Ventura’s Harbor Cove Cafe, which boxes up sandwiches and snacks for visitors to the Channel Islands.

— Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of boxes

Verb

The project is pitched as a black dramedy that probes the line between real connection and digital preservation.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Meta is also deploying a red-teaming AI agent that probes its own safeguards for weaknesses bad actors could exploit.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of probes

Noun

Known for risque stand-up comedy routines and battles with drugs and alcohol, Brand rose to prominence in the early 2000s, hosting television programs and his own BBC radio show.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Use it for dry skin, dry lips, dry cuticles, scars from cabaret battles.

— Lindy Segal, Glamour, 22 Oct. 2026