scuffle
Americanverb (used without object)
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scuffles,
present (3rd person singular)
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scuffled,
past participle, past
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scuffling
present participle
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to struggle or fight in a rough, confused manner.
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to go or move in hurried confusion.
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to move or go with a shuffle; scuff.
verb
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to fight in a disorderly manner
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to move by shuffling
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to move in a hurried or confused manner
noun
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a disorderly struggle
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the sound made by scuffling or shuffling
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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scufflesimple
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scufflessimple
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have scuffledperfect
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has scuffledperfect
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am scufflingprogressive
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are scufflingprogressive
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is scufflingprogressive
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have been scufflingperfect progressive
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has been scufflingperfect progressive
Past
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scuffledsimple
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had scuffledperfect
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was scufflingprogressive
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were scufflingprogressive
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had been scufflingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of scuffle
Explanation
As both a noun and a verb, scuffle involves a fight. As a noun, it is the clash itself, like a scuffle between sworn enemies. As a verb, it means to fight, like a bully who will scuffle with just about anyone. A scuffle is not an organized bout: it is a free-for-all, with fists flying in any and all directions. As a verb, it tells about the act of this kind of wild fighting, like angry kids who scuffle to try to settle their problems, but it can also mean "dragging one's feet while walking." Here, the meaning is not related to fighting, but rather the sound made by those shuffling feet.
Vocabulary lists containing scuffle
"My Favorite Chaperone," Vocabulary from the short story
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 26–31
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Dear Martin
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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.
See Examples For:
The Dodgers’ offense continued to scuffle but did just enough to bounce back from a three-game sweep in Atlanta — the 14th time this month they played a game decided by a single run.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
But she told the jury "that is absolutely not what happened", and denied that it was "a scuffle".
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
After the pair manages to make it out of another scuffle, Ruthye asks Kara about her family, to which Kara replies that she has none except for her cousin.
From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026
To celebrate the occasion, Childress presented Busch with a gift commemorating their infamous scuffle: a Rolex.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
Around us, the security bots have noticed the scuffle and gather instantaneously near the entrance, sealing the tent in.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Busch was known throughout his career as a competitor who gave no quarter—talking trash, getting into scuffles, and even crashing cars—in pursuit of victory.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026
There have also been reports of scuffles in Amsterdam and Milan as well as in cities in Asia and the Middle East.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
"There have been scuffles, but they were indeed brought under control by our law enforcement officers," Ibrahime Kuibiert Coulibaly, the head of the independent electoral commission, told reporters.
From Barron's ● Dec. 28, 2025
On Wednesday, an ambulance arrived at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey - and video posted on social media shows scuffles between protesters and police.
From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2025
He had never deliberately harmed so much as a fly, and the only fights he had had were playground scuffles.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
Friedman continued, “We’ve seen it time and time again with guys who have scuffled and all of a sudden found it and they roll off a heater.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2025
Moments before the Chargers and Dallas Cowboys squared off at SoFi in 2023, the teams scuffled at midfield after several Cowboys ran through the Chargers’ defensive backs as they were conducting pregame drills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2025
The Nuggets trailed for about three-fourths of the minutes in this series, they scuffled through extended shooting slumps and they’re a banged-up bunch that can definitely use the rest.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2024
Mr. Keith was already in his 30s, having scuffled for years to make it in the music business, when he signed his first record deal in 1993.
From New York Times ● Feb. 6, 2024
I scuffled through the jars and envelopes and came up with it, an unprepossessing dried brown scrap.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
But still, for me, he’s with a new ballclub, he’s scuffling, so I want to get that out of him.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
One that owns the S&P 500 without the Magnificent Seven is beating those scuffling behemoths by 15 percentage points this year, but that would have gotten you nowhere in 2023 and 2024.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
All were large, stable companies in 1972, which is why they were embraced by brokers and fund managers when the rest of the market was scuffling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
They were later seen scuffling with government supporters.
From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2026
There’s scuffling, and then Kareem’s muffled voice says, “Give me five minutes. I’ll be right behind you,” and then I hear something like a kiss.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
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.
