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
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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
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1
2
3
as in to fight
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict
the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to oppose
to strive to reduce or eliminate
we must battle hunger and poverty wherever they exist
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of battle
Thomas Drance, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
But when a snitch blows the whistle on an upcoming shipment, José Antonio’s ultimate life-and-death battle for power ensues.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Bane battled injuries that cost him swaths of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for battle
Noun
As a result, this particular roster battle could even persist into the regular season, with Vancouver employing something of a rotation between the three young defenders, with all three getting an extended NHL look at various times while the other two contribute on the top pair down in Abbotsford.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
But when a snitch blows the whistle on an upcoming shipment, José Antonio’s ultimate life-and-death battle for power ensues.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
The film follows Mark and Dawn through horrifically fraught times, as Mark battles an opioid addiction and Dawn struggles to support her mercurial man through personal and professional upheavals.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Bane battled injuries that cost him swaths of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for battle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battle
Noun
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An investigation is underway into the incident, and investigators are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the fight, according to the sheriff’s office.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
27 Sep. 2025
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Her presence in Congress would put pressure on Republicans amid the ongoing government funding fight.—
Laura Gersony,
AZCentral.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
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All these years later, Corigliano’s symphony has outlasted those skirmishes and emerged sounding fresh and exciting and powerful.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
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Although the Hatfield-McCoy relationship has been fraught since the birth of the medium, streaming and cord-cutting has turned financial skirmishes into an existential contest.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
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After receiving the opening kickoff, the Hawks marched up the field in just over two minutes, as senior running back Kyle Celestin bowled over a tackler on his way to the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown rush.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
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One lesson the Pioneers seemed to have down pat Friday was how to convert on a short field.—
Frank Rajkowski,
Twin Cities,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Since the 1960s, a total of 18 Metro Nashville Public Schools have closed, and some very heated football rivalries ended with those closings.—
Mike Organ,
Nashville Tennessean,
29 Sep. 2025
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But there’s no question that these tools are transforming the job experience for many tech workers amid an intense rivalry between leading AI companies to make the best one.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Tonale competes with compact and subcompact luxury SUVs like the Audi Q3, BMW X2, Lexus UX and Mercedes GLA.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
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Zooming out a little, these centres will act as part of a national industrial policy, with local governments competing to set up their own robot bases to attract companies and funding.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Israel is facing significant diplomatic pressure abroad, with multiple Western nations recognizing Palestinian statehood -- while also demanding that Hamas can not be part of any future government -- as world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
29 Sep. 2025
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The Carolina Panthers will face the New England Patriots in Week 4 of the NFL season on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Road ahead To achieve further upside, the company will need to address several factors, including quality and recall issues as well as costs — areas Farley has tried to combat for years.—
Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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This all comes amid multiple feuds between the ADL and several Christian conservatives, including podcasters Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson, and concerns over the rise in antisemitism and whether free speech is being stifled in the name of combating it.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The combination of DePrimeo and Rotondi simply overpowered Masco (3-1), and that duo is bound to cause nightmares for opposing lines all season.—
Justin Barrasso,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
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However, the more subtle aspects of Goodman’s all-around game — pitch calling, receiving, and knowledge of opposing hitters — have been impressive.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Battle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battle. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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