fracas

noun

fra·​cas ˈfrā-kəs How to pronounce fracas (audio) ˈfra- How to pronounce fracas (audio)
British
ˈfra-ˌkä How to pronounce fracas (audio)
plural fracases ˈfrā-kə-səz How to pronounce fracas (audio)
ˈfra-
 or British fracas ˈfra-ˌkäz How to pronounce fracas (audio)
Synonyms of fracas
: a noisy quarrel : brawl
a drunken fracas

Synonyms of fracas

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Examples of fracas in a Sentence

the police broke up the fracas in the bar and threw both combatants in the lockup police preparing for any fracas that might follow the soccer game
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
South Lake Tahoe Mayor Cody Bass, arrested after a fracas outside a Tahoe-area bar last year, was found guilty of misdemeanor harassment in the September 2025 incident, the Tahoe Daily Tribune reported. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2026 In the meantime, Democrats have seemingly resolved at least one 2028 fight, a fracas marked by snarking, backbiting and plenty of acrimony — all the things that make our politics such a grand and glorious endeavor. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Here is the tailend of the fracas that began with Rashard Kelly and Mario Chalmers, followed by a lengthy conversation by the refs with TBT officials. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026 Paredes was seen coming over to a post-match fracas between players from the two nations and putting his hand on the throat of García. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fracas

Word History

Etymology

French, din, row, from Italian fracasso, from fracassare to shatter

First Known Use

1716, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fracas was in 1716

Browse Nearby Words

fraca
fracas
frack
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Cite this Entry

“Fracas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fracas. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of fracas for Spanish Speakers

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