brawl

[brawl]

noun

1. 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.

   Synonyms: tumult, wrangle, rumpus, row, altercation, affray

2. Slang.,  a large, noisy party.

3. Obsolete.,  a bubbling or roaring noise; a clamor.

verb (used without object)

1. to engage in angry, rough, noisy fighting, especially while under the influence of alcohol.

   He found that his hero was little more than a drunken, brawling tramp.

   Synonyms: row, bicker, fight, squabble

2. to make a bubbling or roaring noise, as water flowing over a rocky bed.

brawl

¹

/ brɔːl /

noun

1. a loud disagreement or fight

2. slang,  an uproarious party

verb

1. to quarrel or fight noisily; squabble

2. (esp of water) to flow noisily

brawl

²

/ brɔːl /

noun

1. a dance: the English version of the branle

Other Word Forms

• brawler noun
• brawly adjective
• outbrawl verb (used with object)
• unbrawling adjective
• brawling noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of brawl¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of brawl¹

C14: probably related to Dutch brallen to boast, behave aggressively

Synonym Study

See disorder.

Example Sentences

Despite our public persona of being dysfunctional and brawling, we were quite quiet in the rehearsal space.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Greg Norman knows life would have been simpler if he hadn’t willingly placed himself at the center of the bare-knuckle brawl that plunged professional golf into chaos.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

They’re staring stoic holes into me from the wall, seething as if they had gotten into a brawl beforehand and were forced to take a picture with one another afterward.

Read more on Literature

She is impressed that even the fiercest brawls on the field typically give way to laughter and handshakes at the conclusion of the match.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Ms. Galdikas arrived in 1971 “on a mission to explore the world of wild orangutans” and once observed two huge males brawling—while she stood four feet away.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• altercation 
• argument 
• battle 
• bickering 
• clash 
• dispute 
• feud 
• fight 
• fracas 
• free-for-all 
• melee 
• quarrel 
• riot 
• ruckus 
• scuffle 
• squabble 
• uproar 
• wrangle 

When To Use

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.