Skirmish
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈskɜːmɪʃ/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Skirmish is a noun meaning (military) A brief battle between small groups, usually part of a longer or larger battle or war.
Meaning
(military) A brief battle between small groups, usually part of a longer or larger battle or war.
More Meanings
- (figuratively, by extension) Any minor dispute.
- A type of outdoor military style game using paintball or similar weapons.
- (intransitive) To engage in a minor battle or dispute.
Example Sentences
Three people were arrested after a skirmish in a bar.
Fires which have heretofore been one‐alarm skirmishes are now multialarm small wars.
The walls are slitted with embrasures through which bowmen could fire, indicating that the belfry also served as a stronghold during border skirmishes.
Other historians might also remark that […] they have persisted all this time, constantly wrestling and skirmishing and yet never destroying themselves.
Word Forms
- skirmishes
- skirmishing
- skirmished
Synonyms for skirmish
Depending on context, synonyms include scrap, brush, encounter, clash.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include encounter, clash, brush, velitation, run-in, fight.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.