a confused fight, skirmish, or scuffle, confused hand-to-hand combat among a number of people

melee weapon, melee attack, melee range

Formal and Informal Expressions of melee

In different contexts, you can replace 'melee' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'skirmish' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'brawl, scuffle' is a commonplace synonym.

melee: Explore its Definition & Usage

melee Definition

1a confused fight, skirmish, or scuffle
2confused hand-to-hand combat among a number of people

Using melee: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "melee" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
The football match ended in a melee between the fans.
Example
The protesters were involved in a melee with the police.
Example
The bar fight turned into a melee quickly.

melee Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for melee

Phrases with melee

melee weapon
a weapon used in close combat, such as a sword or a club
Example
The knight drew his melee weapon and charged at the enemy.
melee attack
an attack made in close combat, without using ranged weapons
Example
The barbarian's melee attacks were devastating to his enemies.
melee range
the distance within which close combat can take place
Example
The rogue was deadly at melee range, but vulnerable to ranged attacks.

Origins of melee

from French 'mêlée', from Old French 'meslee', meaning 'mixture'

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Summary: melee in Brief

'Melee' [mey-ley, mey-lee] refers to a confused fight or hand-to-hand combat among a group of people. It is often used to describe a chaotic situation that involves physical altercations, such as a bar fight or a protest turning violent. 'Melee' can also refer to specific aspects of close combat, such as 'melee weapon,' 'melee attack,' and 'melee range.'