Synonyms for skirmish
ˈskɜr mɪʃskir·mish

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.3 / 4 votes

1. skirmish

   Conflict is a general word which describes opponents, whether individuals or hosts, as dashed together. One continuous conflict between entire armies is a battle. Another battle may be fought upon the same field after a considerable interval; or a new battle may follow immediately, the armies meeting upon a new field. An action is brief and partial; a battle may last for days. Engagement is a somewhat formal expression for battle; as, it was the commander's purpose to avoid a general engagement. A protracted war, including many battles, may be a stubborn contest. Combat, originally a hostile encounter between individuals, is now used also for extensive engagements. A skirmish is between small detachments or scattered troops. An encounter may be either purposed or accidental, between individuals or armed forces. Fight is a word of less dignity than battle; we should not ordinarily speak of Waterloo as a fight, unless where the word is used in the sense of fighting; as, I was in the thick of the fight.

   Synonyms:
   action, affair, battle, bout, combat, conflict, contest, encounter, engagement, fight, passage of arms, strife

   Antonyms:
   armistice, concord, peace, suspension of hostilities, truce

   Preposition:
   A battle of giants; battle between armies; a battle for life, against invaders; a battle to the death; the battle of (more rarely at) Marathon.

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:2.3 / 7 votes

1. brush, clash, encounter, skirmishverb

   a minor short-term fight

   Synonyms:
   brushing, face-off, clangor, brush, coming upon, clang, clash, brushwood, encounter, clank, confrontation, clangour, copse, meeting, thicket, showdown, friction, crash, coppice, clangoring, light touch

2. skirmishverb

   engage in a skirmish

Matched Categories

1. • Fight

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. skirmishnoun

   Synonyms:
   fight (of slight consequence), battle, collision, conflict, combat, brush, affair

How to pronounce skirmish?

How to say skirmish in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use skirmish in a sentence?

1. Lorenzo Anderson:

   Secondly, Donita still has state claims in addition to this federal claim. we will continue to pursue justice and accountability. Today’s decision was a small skirmish in a bigger battle.

2. Jono Miller:

   We’re viewing this as the opening skirmish in a broader campaign that Tallahassee is undertaking to completely redefine the state parks.

3. Mitch McConnell:

   If I were one of our Sunni Arab allies watching this, I'd be encouraged that America was back in the business of being more assertive, less passive. That does not mean you are going to send in the troops every time there is a skirmish somewhere, but I thought it was very reassuring.

4. Korean War veteran Quehl:

   We were often under attack by (fighter jets) trying to shoot us down and we saw a lot of our friends get killed, a lot of people thought Korea was just a mild skirmish, but it really was a war that killed a lot of people.

5. Anthony Chan:

   In general terms, we have a trade skirmish not a trade war, longer term, we believe these trade issues will be resolved but on a day-to-day basis they lead to some consternation from investors.