battle royal

noun

-rȯi-ˈal How to pronounce battle royal (audio)
Definition of battle royalnext
as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions the sisters had a battle royal over whose turn it was to use the family car

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 royal The second came when Uso won a battle royal on Raw last fall and earned the right to face CM Punk for the then-vacant World Heavyweight Championship. — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026 Another year, another round in the battle royal for streaming licenses. — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026 During the battle royal last week, Uso eliminated his brother Jimmy, who had been saving him throughout the match. — Fernando Quiles Jr, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025 Pearce announced that a battle royal would take place later in the night. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for battle royal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battle royal
  1. dispute
  2. altercation
  3. quarrel
  4. controversy
  5. fight
  6. disagreement
  7. argument
  8. cross fire
Noun
  • Jeffrey Baldwin, who founded an advocacy group after fighting his own foreclosure battle, argued a complaint system without enforcement powers would do little to help homeowners facing disputes.
    — Nora O'Neill July 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 July 2026
  • McDonald, though, said national leaders have warned that barring transgender members would open the DAR up to having its tax-exempt status revoked, which McDonald disputes.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
Definition of dispute
Noun
  • The two got into a physical fight, and someone shared the home-security-camera footage of the altercation with TMZ.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 28 July 2026
  • Photos appear to show one such altercation, with a fan attempting to grab Preston from the sideline.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
Definition of altercation
Noun
  • The quarrel took him in the left shoulder near the neck, and the surgeon attending the king failed to properly remove the shaft.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • As the quarrel escalated he was stabbed repeatedly in the arm.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 12 July 2026
Definition of quarrel
Noun
  • The next few items on Takaichi’s agenda – the anti-espionage law and the foreign intelligence service – will likely court even more controversy.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • Ancelotti selected the former Barcelona winger for the tournament despite controversy over his fitness and form, having only made 15 appearances for Santos before the World Cup this year.
    — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of controversy
Noun
  • Longtime boxing journalist Dan Rafael scored the fight a draw.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Nonetheless more court fights could still be coming, meaning the question of whether tariffs will ultimately remain could continue to cast a shadow on businesses, warns Prasad.
    — Rafael Nam, NPR, 25 July 2026
Definition of fight
Noun
  • Identify the last three high-pressure moments whether that be a hard conversation, a strategic disagreement, a crisis call.
    — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Health insurers and hospitals tend to keep their contracts confidential, but, judging from each party’s previous comments, disagreements over reimbursement rates were a key issue throughout the negotiations.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
Definition of disagreement
Noun
  • During the primary, the former Fox News host repeatedly made a different argument.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • According to Darby Township Police, the shooting happened after an argument between two customers inside the store in Glenolden.
    — Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of argument
Noun
  • During the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, tanker ships caught in the cross fire ended up at the bottom of the Persian Gulf, which scared off potential customers.
    — Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Unfortunately, the older teens (including Louise’s nemesis, Logan) have taken over the area for snowball fights, and the younger kids get caught in the cross fire.
    — Lillian Brown, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of cross fire

Browse Nearby Words

battler
battle royal
battlers
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Cite this Entry

“Battle royal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battle%20royal. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on battle royal

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about battle royal

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