battled

past tense of battle
1
as in competed
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

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2
as in faced
to enter into contest or conflict with the two top-seeded tennis players battled each other for almost three hours

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 battled The film is based on the real-life story of Mark Kerr, a former college wrestler who battled trauma and an addiction to painkillers during the early years of the UFC. Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025 An early morning fire Thursday damaged a North Highlands restaurant as Metro Fire firefighters battled the blaze. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 2 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 Firefighters battled the blaze for hours as people behind the police cordon looked on in disbelief. Holly Yan, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025 Videos on social media showed large plumes of smoke coming from the church as crews battled the fire. Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025 Kolek battled through six innings while allowing three runs on five hits. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2025 According to her social media pages, Zuza had battled acute myeloid leukemia. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025 Kim’s Suffering West has battled Kim Kardashian, his ex-wife and co-parent of four kids, on social media and in family court for years. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battled
Verb
  • Three of the nine artists who competed for best new artist at the BET Awards on June 9 are on the Grammy entry list – Leon Thomas (who won), BigXthaPlug and October London.
    Paul Grein, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2025
  • In the 1950s and 1960s, the United States and the Soviet Union competed for influence in Asia and Africa, packing their ideological visions in the guise of development, and luring modernizing Asian and African leaders with loans and technical assistance in dam building and hydraulics.
    Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Hundreds of other homes, like Harrington's, faced major damages.
    Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Once again, Weaver faced three batters to start the seventh inning and didn’t get any of them out, allowing a walk to Daulton Varsho before Anthony Santander singled and Andrés Giménez cracked an RBI single.
    Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Rachel Goldberg-Polin fought to save her son’s life.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Years after Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman fought to the death to save his fellow soldiers, an intelligence officer strives to prove his valor — leading an investigation that ultimately would secure him the Medal of Honor.
    Justin Kroll, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The renewal of the state’s 421-a property tax exemption for the construction of affordable housing in 2022 was opposed by Democratic City Comptroller Brad Lander and Big Labor groups.
    Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2025
  • As of the end of last week, the court had approved 20 requests from the president to block lower court orders that opposed the administration.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • He was never charged with any wrongdoing, Mamdani and other opponents have contended that Cuomo is still unfit to serve in office.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Khan and his lawyers have contended that Netanyahu and his allies are exploiting a vulnerable woman in order to discredit the case against the Israeli leaders.
    David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Phillies play reliever roulette Righty David Robertson entered when Cristopher Sánchez encountered trouble in the sixth, putting away pinch hitter Max Muncy, a lefty batter.
    Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Zippers and clasps are built to stand up to daily use—mine has even encountered a few rainstorms—without losing shine or functionality.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Howden, a backup pressed into action by injuries to both starting safeties, raced 86 yards for a touchdown that punctuated a 26-14 Saints win.
    Dan Duggan, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The Tar Heels were boat raced by TCU and UCF, losing by a combined 82-23.
    Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Green Hill first met in a school house and then a building along Tate Lane that later became the Masonic Lodge.
    Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The couple met on a blind date arranged by friends in May 2022.
    Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Battled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battled. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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