What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Scuffle vs Altercation - What's the difference?

scuffle | altercation |

Altercation is a synonym of scuffle.



As nouns the difference between scuffle and altercation

is that scuffle is a rough disorderly fight or struggle at close quarters while altercation is warm contention in words; dispute carried on with heat or anger; controversy; wrangle; wordy contest.

As a verb scuffle

is to fight or struggle confusedly at close quarters.

scuffle

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A rough disorderly fight or struggle at close quarters
  • * L'Estrange
    • The dog leaps upon the serpent, and tears it to pieces; but in the scuffle the cradle happened to be overturned.
  • A Dutch hoe, manipulated by both pushing and pulling
  • (archaic) A child's pinafore or bib.

    • Synonyms

    * (Dutch hoe) scuffle hoe

    Verb

    (scuffl)
  • To fight or struggle confusedly at close quarters.
  • * Eikon Basilike
    • A gallant man had rather fight to great disadvantage in the field, in an orderly way, than scuffle with an undisciplined rabble.
  • To walk with a shuffling gait.
  • (slang) To make a living with difficulty, getting by on a low income, to struggle financially.

    • altercation

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Warm contention in words; dispute carried on with heat or anger; controversy; wrangle; wordy contest.
  • * (rfdate), Arthur Conan Doyle, The Valley of Fear
    • "What the hell is it to you who are my friends?" roared McMurdo in a voice which brought every head in the carriage round to witness the altercation .

    Synonyms

    * dispute, wrangle