battled

Definition of battlednext
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

Relevance
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

3
4

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 After falling behind 3-1 in the series, Philadelphia has battled back, powered by its Big Three. Tobias Bass, New York Times, 1 May 2026 Gauff battled an apparent illness during the Madrid Open, even taking a medical timeout in the Round of 32 over the weekend. Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 30 Apr. 2026 Farm officials said the orchard has battled spring freezes in previous years, but some fruit always survives. Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026 Sonora pitcher Robby Blaine battled hard for seven innings in the Raiders’ 2-1 victory over Yorba Linda in a North Hills League baseball game Wednesday at Yorba Linda High School. Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026 More than 50 firefighters battled flames at a vacant warehouse in National City early Thursday before putting out the blaze, leaving the building in danger of collapse, a fire official said. Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026 Hegseth battled with Democrats — and some Republicans — during a nearly six-hour House Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday. April 30, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026 The senior running back has battled injuries throughout much of spring camp. Gabriel Duarte, Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026 Taylor battled substance abuse issues after leaving the NFL. Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battled
Verb
  • Sojic has also competed in multiple FIBA competitions with Serbia.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Hudson previously won a Division 4 NCA Collegiate Championship with Bridgewater State in 2021, and in recent years she's also competed in Miss Maine USA pageants, placing second at the 2024 event and coming in third place in 2025.
    Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Snell made his second rehab start with Class-A Ontario on Wednesday and threw 39 pitches while retiring nine of 10 batters faced in three innings.
    Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 2 May 2026
  • Black voters faced challenges from poll taxes to threats.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • Three years ago, the city considered closing the pool as a cost-saving measure but residents fought its closure.
    Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
  • The Republicans fought it, and it’s died.
    Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • Hell’s Kitchen resident Terrell Drummond, who opposed siting the drop-in center there, said homeless people hang around outside the place all hours of the night.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 2 May 2026
  • In the runoff, however, she was defeated by Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who benefited from a broad coalition of voters opposed to her candidacy.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • The company's lawyers have contended that the Oklahoma case in which Drummond intervened is a private dispute that doesn't involve government officials or public funds.
    Michael Copley, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
  • And in an effort to rebut claims that Comey was being selectively prosecuted, Blanche contended the case against the former FBI director was similar to other threats cases the department routinely brings against the lesser known.
    Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • This longing for a more tangible experience reflects the broader nostalgia that has shaped Gen Z’s coming of age—nostalgia for a past that many did not experience firsthand, but instead encountered through images.
    Jalil Johnson, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Less than an hour later, Hall-Bennetts encountered Patton during a safety check.
    Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In the midst of the civil rights movement of the 1960s, TNG also combated racial discrimination in the news industry in hiring and promotion.
    Errol Salamon, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Catholic and Lutheran churches and mutual benefit societies preserved cultural heritage, combated isolation and shaped the new state’s religious culture for generations.
    Daniel Cueto-Villalobos, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • But though Venter raced the public project to a standstill — the two groups announced a tie on the White House lawn — the result, in business terms, was murkier.
    Matthew Herper, STAT, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Jorbit Vivas raced home from first after pitcher Freddy Peralta threw the ball wildly past first on Nasim Nuñez’s comebacker and Nuñez came home on Jacob Young’s single.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Battled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battled. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on battled

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster