brawl
Americannoun
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an angry, rough, noisy fight, especially one engaged in under the influence of alcohol.
The wild, free-for-all western brawl in the saloon lasts two full minutes and constitutes the movie’s opening scene.
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Slang. a large, noisy party.
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Obsolete. a bubbling or roaring noise; a clamor.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a loud disagreement or fight
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slang an uproarious party
verb
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to quarrel or fight noisily; squabble
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(esp of water) to flow noisily
noun
Usage
What does brawl mean? A brawl is a fight, especially a big one involving a lot of people. Brawl can also be used as a verb meaning to fight or to participate in a brawl. A person who does this or who’s known for fighting in general can be called a brawler. Much less commonly, brawl can also be used as a slang term for a wild party. Other rare senses of brawl include its use as a noun referring to a loud, bubbling noise, like water flowing in a stream, or as a verb meaning to make such a noise. Example: Police are investigating the post-concert brawl that left three people in the hospital.
Related Words
See disorder.
Other Word Forms
- brawler noun
- brawling noun
- brawly adjective
- outbrawl verb (used with object)
- unbrawling adjective
Etymology
Origin of brawl
First recorded in 1350–1400; (verb) Middle English brawlen, brallen “to raise a clamor, quarrel, boast”; of uncertain origin; (noun) Middle English braule, brall, derivative of the verb
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Though the actor has not publicly addressed the brawl, in the days before the incident, he posted several videos detailing his struggles with jet lag.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026
It is about attention, and eyeballs, and the calculation is that an extended pillow fight between two near-quintagenarians is an easier way to lure them than, say, a legitimately compelling brawl between two lesser-knowns.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
“Sure, we’re having a bit of a brawl on our side, but people are excited to show up for our candidates because they’re people that actually deliver results for working class people,” Scudder said.
From Salon • Feb. 26, 2026
In 2017, the age limit for presidential candidates was also eliminated - a move which led to MPs throwing chairs in a chaotic parliamentary brawl.
From BBC • Jan. 11, 2026
The woman had simply ducked, invisibly fast, and Tally had tripped over her like some awkward littlie in a brawl.
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
