skirmishing
Brief combat exchanges
Skirmishing is engaging in minor or preliminary fighting, typically between small groups rather than full armies.
The term extends to any brief, scattered conflict or dispute: The two sides spent weeks skirmishing before real negotiations began.
Political opponents skirmish in debates; lawyers skirmish in pretrial motions.
Exchange of gunfire
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- flankingAt the sides of
- infantryGround combat troops
volley · raid · patrol · reconnaissance · harassment · hit-and-run · warfare · hostilities
Deliberate tactical movement
- feintDeceptive mock attack
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- decoyFalse target for misdirection
- diversionRedirection of attention
flanking · mobility · penetration · scouting · disengagement · probing · harassment · screening
Brief disorderly struggle
- tussleBrief physical struggle
- meleeDisordered group skirmish
- altercationHeated verbal dispute
- fracasNoisy disorderly fight
ruckus · kerfuffle · donnybrook · affray · scrimmage · clash · confrontation · disturbance
Armed uprising against authority
- partisansStaunch factional supporters
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- sabotageDeliberate disruption of operations
- irregularsUnofficial combatants or anomalies
raiders · underground · rebel · paramilitary · cell · revolutionary · infiltration · ambush
Thoroughly investigating something
- preludeIntroductory piece or event
- preliminaryBefore the main part
- precursorSomething that comes first
- openingGap or start
initial · foreshadowing · harbinger · onset · threshold · escalation · outbreak · commencement
firefight
Exchange of gunfire
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- flankingAt the sides of
infantry · volley · raid · patrol · reconnaissance · harassment · hit-and-run · warfare · hostilities · assault
maneuver
Deliberate tactical movement
- feintDeceptive mock attack
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- decoyFalse target for misdirection
diversion · flanking · mobility · penetration · scouting · disengagement · probing · harassment · screening · reconnaissance
scuffle
Brief disorderly struggle
- tussleBrief physical struggle
- meleeDisordered group skirmish
- altercationHeated verbal dispute
fracas · ruckus · kerfuffle · donnybrook · affray · scrimmage · clash · confrontation · disturbance · free-for-all
insurgency
Armed uprising against authority
- partisansStaunch factional supporters
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- sabotageDeliberate disruption of operations
irregulars · raiders · underground · rebel · paramilitary · cell · revolutionary · infiltration · ambush · hit-and-run
probing
Thoroughly investigating something
- preludeIntroductory piece or event
- preliminaryBefore the main part
- precursorSomething that comes first
opening · initial · foreshadowing · harbinger · onset · threshold · escalation · outbreak · commencement · antecedent
- military tacticstactics, flanking, maneuver, ambush, battle formations
- cavalry tacticscavalry charge, cavalry charges, cavalry raids, flanking, flank attack
- infantry tacticsfire and maneuver, flanking maneuver, battle drills, defensive positions, ambush tactics
- combatbattle, fight, combat, unarmed combat, grappling
- ancient warfarephalanx, warriors, army, legion, battle
- harassment tacticsharassment, hounding, pestering, badgering, nagging
skirmishingpitched battle
Intense preplanned military confrontation
decisive battle · total war · frontal assault · siege warfare · siege
skirmishingpeacekeeping
Preventing or ending conflict
truce · ceasefire · peace · armistice · cooperation
skirmishingretreating
Moving back from advance
withdrawing · disengaging · fleeing · evading · standing down