noun
fracas
FRA-kah
noun
1
A loud, chaotic argument, fight, or disturbance.
"A fracas broke out in the parking lot after the game."
"The meeting ended in a fracas over unpaid wages."
How to Use Fracas
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA noisy, disorderly commotion — think of a shouting match or a brawl.
When to use it
Slightly formal/journalistic — you'd read it in a news report more than hear it in casual speech.
Common pairings
a minor fracas
cause a fracas
a fracas erupted
Word Forms
fracases plural, fracas plural
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A _____ broke out in the parking lot after the game.
Etymology
From French fracas, from Italian fracassare ("to shatter, smash to pieces").