Synonyms of battle

battle 1 of 2

noun

ˈba-tᵊl 

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

• fight
• struggle
• fray
• effort
• throes
• attempt
• scrabble
• grind
• war
• pains
• work
• warfare
• endeavor
• try
• exertion
• combat
• toil
• trouble
• contest
• conflict
• labor
• strife
• drudgery
• tussle
• travail
• sweat
• essay

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

• skirmish
• clash
• fight
• struggle
• tussle
• fray
• contest
• scuffle
• combat
• brawl
• duel
• conflict
• confrontation
• scrimmage
• dustup
• altercation
• fracas
• scrum
• quarrel
• scrap
• pitched battle
• melee
• blows
• dispute
• battle royal
• rough-and-tumble
• hassle
• spat
• slugfest
• fistfight
• fisticuffs
• joust
• face-off
• tangle
• row
• broil
• squabble
• affray
• donnybrook
• mix-up
• controversy
• free-for-all
• ruckus
• punch-up
• ruction
• wrangle
• punch-out
• falling-out
• grapple
• catfight
• tiff
• cross fire
• argument
• contretemps
• misunderstanding
• disagreement
• kickup
• handgrips
• argle-bargle
• argy-bargy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• truce

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

• field
• combat
• attack
• fire
• hostilities
• action
• firefight
• warfare
• operations
• pitched battle
• service
• single combat
• duty

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

• rivalry
• struggle
• duel
• competition
• warfare
• war
• confrontation
• conflict
• contention
• contest
• match
• combat
• strife
• clash
• showdown
• dogfight
• tug-of-war
• face-off
• ball game
• sweepstakes
• debate
• grapple
• dispute
• disputation
• quarrel
• collision
• horse race
• friction
• argument
• discord
• controversy
• nail-biter
• disagreement
• row
• dissension
• wrangle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• peace
• harmony
• concord

battle

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to compete

to engage in a contest

the two teams, which have long been archrivals, will battle on the court for the state championship

Synonyms & Similar Words

• compete
• fight
• race
• contend
• rival
• vie
• face off
• challenge
• play
• engage
• maneuver
• try out
• go out
• work
• jostle
• jockey
• train

2

as in to face

to enter into contest or conflict with

the two top-seeded tennis players battled each other for almost three hours

Synonyms & Similar Words

• face
• encounter
• meet
• fight
• engage
• take on
• rival
• contend
• oppose
• emulate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• escape
• evade
• retreat
• elude

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

• fight
• combat
• war (against)
• duel
• clash (with)
• skirmish (with)
• beat
• wrestle
• hit
• joust
• scrimmage (with)
• strike
• punch
• brawl
• knock
• box
• slug
• smack
• belt
• slap
• smite
• batter
• tussle
• pound
• buffet
• whack
• bang
• hammer
• bat
• clobber
• spar
• bludgeon
• slog
• slam
• swipe
• bop
• sock
• paste
• bash
• thump
• swat
• whale
• scuffle
• wallop
• grapple
• bump
• collide
• thwack

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• submit
• give up
• surrender

4

as in to oppose

to strive to reduce or eliminate

we must battle hunger and poverty wherever they exist

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fight
• oppose
• combat
• counter
• resist
• contend (with)
• confront
• withstand
• oppugn
• thwart
• foil
• frustrate
• face
• checkmate
• baffle
• defy
• meet

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• advance
• promote
• forward
• encourage
• cultivate
• foster
• further
• suffer
• endure
• bear
• support
• nurture
• abide
• nourish
• advocate
• back
• uphold
• endorse
• champion

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of battle

Noun

In 2020, the Pentagon assessed that China had overtaken the United States to become the world’s largest navy by number of battle-force ships. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026

Mayor Karen Bass is at the helm of the city’s battle against homelessness, but since 2023 Raman has been the second-most powerful official as chair of the City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Verb

At the peak last weekend, there were 2,177 firefighters in Big Sur battling the blaze, with 10 helicopters, 194 engines, 30 bulldozers and huge C-130 air tankers dropping retardant. — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026

Muscat also maintained channels to the Houthis, whom Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have long battled. — Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2026

Phrases Containing battle

• battle royal