brawl
Americannoun
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an angry, rough, noisy fight, especially one engaged in under the influence of alcohol.
The wild, free-for-all western brawl in the saloon lasts two full minutes and constitutes the movie’s opening scene.
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Slang. a large, noisy party.
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Obsolete. a bubbling or roaring noise; a clamor.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a loud disagreement or fight
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slang an uproarious party
verb
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to quarrel or fight noisily; squabble
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(esp of water) to flow noisily
noun
Usage
What does brawl mean? A brawl is a fight, especially a big one involving a lot of people.Brawl can also be used as a verb meaning to fight or to participate in a brawl. A person who does this or who’s known for fighting in general can be called a brawler.Much less commonly, brawl can also be used as a slang term for a wild party.Other rare senses of brawl include its use as a noun referring to a loud, bubbling noise, like water flowing in a stream, or as a verb meaning to make such a noise.Example: Police are investigating the post-concert brawl that left three people in the hospital.
Related Words
See disorder.
Other Word Forms
- brawler noun
- brawling noun
- brawly adjective
- outbrawl verb (used with object)
- unbrawling adjective
Etymology
Origin of brawl
First recorded in 1350–1400; (verb) Middle English brawlen, brallen “to raise a clamor, quarrel, boast”; of uncertain origin; (noun) Middle English braule, brall, derivative of the verb
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.
Hours after news of the brawl and his arrest spread, LaBeouf issued a brief statement on social media.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026
“Sure, we’re having a bit of a brawl on our side, but people are excited to show up for our candidates because they’re people that actually deliver results for working class people,” Scudder said.
From Salon • Feb. 26, 2026
Staring down the barrel of an escalating brawl with one of the world’s richest and most outspoken figures, many executives of a major public company might choose to defuse tensions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 21, 2026
Taking centre stage is Noel Gallagher's cherry-red Gibson guitar, damaged by his brother Liam during a backstage brawl the night Oasis broke up at the height of their fame in 2009.
From Barron's • Oct. 21, 2025
Lynn arrived and, seeing a room of bowlegged ruffians shouting at each other, fists clenched, swiping at the air, thought he was witnessing a brawl straight out of a John Wayne film.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
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.
