Skirmish — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈskər-mish/ skir·mish

Meaning & Definition of Skirmish

Skirmish (noun)

  1. a minor fight in war usually incidental to larger movements
  2. a brisk preliminary verbal conflict
  3. a minor dispute or contest between opposing parties

Skirmish (verb)

  1. to engage in a skirmish
  2. to search about (as for supplies), scout around

Skirmish (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a brief clash between enemies or rivals

    "the candidates' first debate was only a skirmish in a very long campaign"

    similar: brush, encounter, hassle, run-in, scrape
    related: argument, fight, quarrel, row, spat, squabble, tiff, battle, brawl, fray, wrangle

  2. a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups

    "throughout the week of the convention, police engaged in skirmishes with some of the demonstrators"

    similar: battle, clash, combat, conflict, contest, dustup, fight, fracas, fray, hassle, scrap, scrimmage, scrum, scuffle, struggle, tussle
    related: pitched battle, rough-and-tumble, affray (chiefly British), battle royal, brawl, broil, donnybrook, free-for-all, melee, mix-up, ruckus, ruction, blows, fistfight, fisticuffs, grapple, handgrips, punch-out, punch-up (chiefly British), slugfest, confrontation, duel, face-off, joust, altercation, argle-bargle (chiefly British), argument, argy-bargy (chiefly British), contretemps, controversy, cross fire, disagreement, dispute, falling-out, kickup, misunderstanding, quarrel, row, spat, squabble, tangle, tiff, wrangle, catfight
    near: truce

Skirmish (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in brawl

    similar: brawl, box, spar, bash, batter, beat, buffet, hit, punch, slug, strike, battle, clash (with), combat, contend, duel, fight, war (against), grapple, rassle, scuffle, tussle, wrestle

  2. as in explore, probe

    similar: explore, probe, prospect, snoop, grub (about), poke (around), browse, glance (over), look over, ascertain, descry, detect, determine, discover, ferret (out), find, find out, get, hit (on or upon), learn, locate, run down, scare up, track (down), peruse, study, audit, check (out), examine, inspect, investigate, review, scan, scrutinize, survey, frisk, pat down, shake down, comb, dig (through), dredge, hunt (through), rake, ransack, rifle, rummage, scour, search, sort (through), troll
    opposite: hide, abandon, lose, ignore, neglect

Related Entry: Skirmish (with) (verb)

Skirmish (with) is a different word from Skirmish. The synonyms below are for skirmish (with), not for skirmish.

  1. to oppose (someone) in physical conflict

    "for years the Apache leader had been skirmishing with the Mexicans, who were responsible for his nickname, Geronimo"

    similar: battle, clash (with), combat, fight, scrimmage (with), war (against)
    related: duel, joust, bang, bash, bat, batter, beat, belt, bludgeon, bop, buffet, clobber, hammer, hit, knock, paste, pound, punch, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, swipe, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, box, spar, brawl, grapple, scuffle, tussle, wrestle, bump, collide
    near: give up, submit, surrender

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Skirmish

The most common words with a similar meaning to Skirmish:

brush, encounter, hassle, run-in, scrape, battle, clash, combat, conflict, contest, dustup, fight, fracas, fray, scrap, scrimmage, scrum, scuffle, struggle, tussle, brawl, box, spar, bash, batter, beat, buffet, hit, punch, slug, strike, clash (with), contend, duel, war (against), grapple, rassle, wrestle, explore, probe

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Skirmish

Words with the opposite meaning of Skirmish:

hide, abandon, lose, ignore, neglect

Related Words for Skirmish

argument, quarrel, row, spat, squabble, tiff, wrangle, pitched battle, rough-and-tumble, affray, battle royal, broil, donnybrook, free-for-all, melee, mix-up, ruckus, ruction, blows, fistfight, fisticuffs, handgrips, punch-out, punch-up, slugfest, confrontation, face-off, joust, altercation, argle-bargle

Near Antonyms of Skirmish

truce

Word Forms of Skirmish

Inflections: skirmished, skirmishing, skirmishes

Derived words: skirmisher (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Skirmish

Middle English skyrmissh, alteration (influenced by Anglo-French eskermir to fence (with swords), protect, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German scirmen to protect, scirm shield) of skarmuch, from Anglo-French escarmuche, from Old Italian scaramuccia screen

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Skirmish

What does "Skirmish" mean?

"Skirmish" means a minor fight in war usually incidental to larger movements. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a minor fight in war usually incidental to larger movements. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Skirmish"?

Other words for "Skirmish" include brush, encounter, hassle, run-in, scrape, battle, clash and combat. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Skirmish" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Skirmish"?

There are 129 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Skirmish". Common alternatives include brush, encounter, hassle, run-in, scrape, battle, clash, combat, conflict and contest.

What is the opposite of "Skirmish"?

Antonyms of "Skirmish" include hide, abandon, lose, ignore and neglect. Near antonyms include truce.

How do you use "Skirmish" in a sentence?

Examples of "Skirmish" in a sentence: "the candidates' first debate was only a skirmish in a very long campaign"; "throughout the week of the convention, police engaged in skirmishes with some of the demonstrators".

Is "Skirmish" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Skirmish" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Skirmish"?

"Skirmish" is pronounced /ˈskər-mish/ and divided into syllables as skir·mish.

What is the origin of the word "Skirmish"?

"Skirmish" comes from Middle English skyrmissh, alteration (influenced by Anglo-French eskermir to fence (with swords), protect, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German scirmen to protect, scirm shield) of skarmuch, from Anglo-French escarmuche, from Old Italian scaramuccia screen. First known use: 14th century.