Word Explorer

Affray

/əˈfɹeɪ/

The act of suddenly disturbing anyone; an assault or attack.

Full Dictionary Entry

📖 Definitions of "Affray"

noun

1
The act of suddenly disturbing anyone; an assault or attack.
2
A tumultuous assault or quarrel.
3
The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others.
"The affray in the busy marketplace caused great terror and disorder."
4
Terror.

verb

1
To startle from quiet; to alarm.
2
To frighten; to scare; to frighten away.

🔄 Synonyms of "Affray"

5 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.

Word	Definition
ruffleverb	(transitive) To make a ruffle in; to curl or flute, as an edge of fabric.
fraynoun	(transitive) (also figuratively) To rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction; also, to irritate (something) through chafing or rubbing; to chafe.
altercationnoun	(countable) An angry or heated dispute.
disturbancenoun	The act of disturbing, being disturbed.
fracasnoun	A noisy disorderly quarrel, fight, brawl, disturbance or scrap.

💡 Words with a Similar Meaning to "Affray"

Found via reverse dictionary — words that share a conceptual meaning.

Word	Definition
disturbancenoun	The act of disturbing, being disturbed.
fracasnoun	A noisy disorderly quarrel, fight, brawl, disturbance or scrap.
altercationnoun	(countable) An angry or heated dispute.
fraynoun	(countable) A noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; a brawl, a fight; also, a loud quarrel.
rufflenoun	Any gathered or curled strip of fabric added as trim or decoration.
brawlnoun	A disorderly argument or fight, usually with a large number of people involved.
medleynoun	A collection or mixture of miscellaneous things.
affrightenverb	(archaic) To frighten.
affrightnoun	(archaic) Great fear, terror, fright.
abraidverb	(intransitive, obsolete) To wake up.
doubtnoun	(uncountable, countable) Disbelief or uncertainty (about something); (countable) a particular instance of such disbelief or uncertainty.
befrightverb	(transitive) To fill with fright; make afraid; scare; frighten
frightenverb	(transitive) To cause to feel fear; to scare; to cause to feel alarm or fright.
frighten the horsesverb	To cause alarm or offence.
scarenoun	A cause of terror or alarm; a panic; something that inspires fear or dread.
fearnoun	(uncountable) A strong, unpleasant emotion or feeling caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.
freak outverb	(informal, intransitive) To react with extreme anger or fear, to the extent that one loses one's composure or behaves irrationally.
set abackverb	(transitive) To startle or shock; to render (someone) confused or disconcerted.
amaynoun	(transitive and intransitive, obsolete) to dismay; confound; be dismayed
awhapeverb	(transitive, obsolete) To confound; to terrify; to amaze.