1
as in fight
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
passing the medical licensing exam was an uphill battle, but she succeeded
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
a battle between rival gangs left two people lying dead on the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in field
active fighting during the course of a war
soldiers who desperately wanted to forget the horrors that they had witnessed in battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the chess game was a real battle between two of the world's best players
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
3
as in to fight
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict
the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to oppose
to strive to reduce or eliminate
we must battle hunger and poverty wherever they exist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of battle
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Damn Yankees was originally staged on Broadway in 1955 and centers on a baseball fan who makes a bargain with the devil, trading his soul to become a star hitter for his favorite team in their battles with the Yankees.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2025
Austin Meek, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Build a heavily-armored door that slams shut via a trigger and control panel, and get ready to battle with the rotating turret.
—Anja Webb, Parents, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for battle
Noun
The fact his bat improved after his second big-league promotion gives him a chance to make this a competitive battle with Norby, who seemingly has more offensive upside.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Damn Yankees was originally staged on Broadway in 1955 and centers on a baseball fan who makes a bargain with the devil, trading his soul to become a star hitter for his favorite team in their battles with the Yankees.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
With Hogan Hansen also battling injuries, Michigan hasn’t seen the full pass-catching potential of its tight ends.
—Austin Meek, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Build a heavily-armored door that slams shut via a trigger and control panel, and get ready to battle with the rotating turret.
—Anja Webb, Parents, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for battle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battle
Noun
-
The doctor finds her and tries to inject her, but Ben comes up from behind, and the two fight.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Joe Biden 'optimistic' in cancer fight Former President Joe Biden is now receiving radiation therapy for his prostate cancer, a spokesperson for the former president confirmed to ABC News.—
Molly Nagle,
ABC News,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The skirmish over the controller erupted as the Council and Nygren's office continued to disagree over how tribal funds were allocated within the government.—
Arlyssa D. Becenti,
AZCentral.com,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Just when things appeared to cool down and players were separated, another skirmish occurred near the bleachers.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Petrino has coached Western Kentucky, Louisville and Missouri State since he was fired by the Razorbacks for off-field reasons in the spring of 2012.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Oct. 2025
-
The Browns might even have a plan to get Sanders on the field at some point this season.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But international rivalry between the United States and Canada, rekindled last season with two memorable games in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, will also take center stage in February when the NHL will break for players’ participation in the Winter Olympics for the first time in over a decade.—
Rob Rossi,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Set in 1980s England, the series follows the rivalry of two men who come to a head.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Nuts for nostalgia KFC is far from the only chain banking on nostalgia these days as competing restaurants fight for consumer attention.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
11 Oct. 2025
-
So far, the brand has focused on fully electric models, with its most recent release being the T1 hatchback, which competes with the BYD Dolphin and Geely Xingyuan.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Palace, 19 unbeaten, were slicker and sharper, despite their UEFA Conference League trip to face Dynamo Kyiv in Poland on Thursday.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Remember, under the current format, those were all teams coming off a wild-card series win, facing a team with most of the previous week off, just like the Tigers and Mariners.—
Ryan Ford,
Freep.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While the topical application of minoxidil is one of the most effective and popular ways to combat male pattern baldness, it is poorly absorbed by the skin.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Leaders across the industry are fighting to combat a global luxury slowdown and searching for new ways to maintain relevancy, reinvigorate their relationships with shoppers, while improving their bottom line.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Neighbors for a Better San Diego, a group that represents mostly single-family homeowners and opposes nearby higher-density development, criticized the report for not tracking how many homes get demolished to make way for new projects.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The government reopened after legislation was passed that didn’t include funding for the aircraft carrier, or for water projects that Carter opposed on similar grounds.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Battle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battle. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share