brawl

UK: /ˈbrɔːl/ US: /brɔl/ ,(brôl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

brawl /brɔl/   n. 

[countable]
1. a noisy fight in a public place:
   The barroom brawl spilled out into the street.

v. [no object]

2. to fight angrily and noisily:
   groups of demonstrators brawling in the street.

brawl•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

brawl  (brôl), n. 

1. a noisy quarrel, squabble, or fight.
2. a bubbling or roaring noise;
   a clamor.
3. Slang Terms a large, noisy party.

v.i. 

4. to quarrel angrily and noisily;
   wrangle.
5. to make a bubbling or roaring noise, as water flowing over a rocky bed.

• 1350–1400; (verb, verbal) Middle English brawlen, brallen to raise a clamor, quarrel, boast; of uncertain origin, originally; (noun, nominal) Middle English braule, brall, derivative of the noun, nominal

brawl′er, n. 
brawl′y, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. wrangle, row, tumult, affray, altercation, rumpus. See disorder. 
• 4. squabble, fight, bicker, row.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

brawl / brɔːl/ noun

1. a loud disagreement or fight
2. an uproarious party

verb (intransitive)

1. to quarrel or fight noisily; squabble
2. (esp of water) to flow noisily

Etymology: 14th Century: probably related to Dutch brallen to boast, behave aggressively

ˈbrawler noun