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.
-
to go or move in hurried confusion.
-
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
-
to move in a hurried or confused manner
noun
-
a disorderly struggle
-
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
-
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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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:
A scuffle in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week threatened the June peace deal, but oil traders are betting the Strait will remain open.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 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
Initial reports said visitors, mostly young people, were crammed against a single entrance and a scuffle broke out between those trying to leave and enter the site.
From Barron's ● Apr. 12, 2026
Though the two companies have been long-term rivals, the Super Bowl ad was one of the first times the scuffle was so public.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026
Never around Grandma because she’d make them scrub floors, and iron drapes, and weed the garden until they were too exhausted to scuffle.
From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles
On Thursday, there were brief scuffles when police blocked protesters as they tried to hang a banner from a footbridge in the Thai capital, but there was no sign of trouble on Friday morning.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
But the gatherings have led to few incidents so far aside from a few scuffles shared on social media.
From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026
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
Just more than two minutes before the first intermission, the physical nature of the series boiled over in a series of scuffles that ended with referee Graham Skilliter meeting with the captains of both teams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 26, 2026
Such brisk fights or scuffles between children’s daemons were common, luckily, and no one took much notice, but Roger went pale at once.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
The two players scuffled briefly, with Smith-Schuster losing his helmet and ending up back on the ground, as other players and coaches tried to intervene.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2025
The influence of Harbaugh was epitomized late in the game when the two teams briefly scuffled behind the end zone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 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
According to video released by an activist group behind the demonstrations, police, including mounted officers, scuffled with the protesters Wednesday.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 1, 2024
Cleopatra would cheer for Mark Antony as he scuffled good-naturedly with rowdy toughs.
From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby
“He went into last October really scuffling, and it sort of bled into October,” Roberts said over the weekend.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 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
She listened to the skirling of the wind and the scuffling sound of leather on stone.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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