1
as in fights
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
passing the medical licensing exam was an uphill battle, but she succeeded
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in skirmishes
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 actions
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 rivalries
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
3
as in combats
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict
the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in opposes
to strive to reduce or eliminate
we must battle hunger and poverty wherever they exist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of battles
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2025
River Raisin National Battlefield Park in Monroe honors the history of the January 1813 battles of the War of 1812 and their aftermath.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Kate and Charles continued to suffer public cancer battles, while, earlier this month, Andrew, Charles' brother, was stripped of his royal title amid a scandal over his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
And yet, many advertisers need to appeal to the broadest audience possible, and, as such, have moved money out of news as the world has grappled with international battles, climate change, a global pandemic and political extremism.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
These post-election battles over what won it — values voters or soccer moms, the base or the swing voters — are proxy wars over each party’s future.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
But Vance’s willingness to wage battles online has also stirred up controversy at times.
—Daniel Bush, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Nor are the ongoing battles to comply with rules both at home and abroad.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Sports franchises usually go out of their way to avoid court battles, which are played out in public before fans and media and can lead to the release of testimony, videos, emails, texts and other disclosures that might spur controversy.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Per Pete Thamel of ESPN, the Red Raiders will ask redshirt freshman Will Hammond to make his first career start on Saturday as senior quarterback Behren Morton battles a leg injury.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Brian Schottenheimer battles through injuries Heading into the game against the Jets, Schottenheimer’s offensive line was wrecked by injury.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025
Disagreements among Democrats have emerged over how to conduct political messaging on the government shutdown as the party battles with the GOP over whom the public should blame for the impasse.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 5 Oct. 2025
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
As Mita's mother battles an illness, she's been the primary caretaker for her, leaving her little time for self care and relaxation.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
As Soledad battles a legal system riddled with corruption, inequality and skewed patriarchal values, Julieta’s case ignites a wave of outrage and solidarity, giving rise to a powerful movement demanding justice.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
Ricky Morton of the legendary Rock-n-Roll Express battles his son Kerry, who turned on him, allowing TNA Wrestling International Champ Steve Maclin to become the new BRCW champion.
—James Varsallone, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
At the same time, food aid was delayed for tens of millions of people as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits were caught up in legal battles related to the shutdown.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2025
River Raisin National Battlefield Park in Monroe honors the history of the January 1813 battles of the War of 1812 and their aftermath.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Kate and Charles continued to suffer public cancer battles, while, earlier this month, Andrew, Charles' brother, was stripped of his royal title amid a scandal over his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
And yet, many advertisers need to appeal to the broadest audience possible, and, as such, have moved money out of news as the world has grappled with international battles, climate change, a global pandemic and political extremism.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
These post-election battles over what won it — values voters or soccer moms, the base or the swing voters — are proxy wars over each party’s future.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
But Vance’s willingness to wage battles online has also stirred up controversy at times.
—Daniel Bush, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Nor are the ongoing battles to comply with rules both at home and abroad.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Sports franchises usually go out of their way to avoid court battles, which are played out in public before fans and media and can lead to the release of testimony, videos, emails, texts and other disclosures that might spur controversy.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
But soon, an intruder introduces both suspicion and hope for connection, as loneliness battles with the fear that something considerably larger than a virus is hiding in the dark.
—Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Per Pete Thamel of ESPN, the Red Raiders will ask redshirt freshman Will Hammond to make his first career start on Saturday as senior quarterback Behren Morton battles a leg injury.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Brian Schottenheimer battles through injuries Heading into the game against the Jets, Schottenheimer’s offensive line was wrecked by injury.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025
Disagreements among Democrats have emerged over how to conduct political messaging on the government shutdown as the party battles with the GOP over whom the public should blame for the impasse.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 5 Oct. 2025
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
As Mita's mother battles an illness, she's been the primary caretaker for her, leaving her little time for self care and relaxation.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
As Soledad battles a legal system riddled with corruption, inequality and skewed patriarchal values, Julieta’s case ignites a wave of outrage and solidarity, giving rise to a powerful movement demanding justice.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
Ricky Morton of the legendary Rock-n-Roll Express battles his son Kerry, who turned on him, allowing TNA Wrestling International Champ Steve Maclin to become the new BRCW champion.
—James Varsallone, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battles
Noun
-
The Democratic crackup that’s now underway in Washington is distracting the party from a series of brutal fights just ahead that will culminate in next year’s midterms.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Martin's fights, namely her 1996 match against Deirdre Gogarty, brought women's boxing to a whole new audience.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
David Wolf, the executive director of the Legacy of the Plains Museum in Scottsbluff, said experts estimate that as many 10 people died for every mile of the trail ‒ perhaps as many as 20,000 travelers, plus an unknown number of Native Americans killed during skirmishes.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Amid the skirmishes that ensued, federal agents fired a chemical agent toward a protester at near-point-blank range, and security personnel later opened fire on a U-Haul truck that had backed up toward a barrier on the island’s bridge, injuring the driver and an apparent bystander.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In some cases, actions of the British armed forces have been described as unjustified.—
Eduardo Tansley,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Majumdar lavishes her characters with careful attention, and so the reader comes to regard their most troubling actions as justified, if not inevitable.—
Tope Folarin,
The Atlantic,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Few crosstown rivalries can compare to the one Hingham and Notre Dame Academy have developed the past few decades.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The history of contemporary music is littered with hundreds of rivalries both amicable and otherwise.—
Jason Newman,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Cherry’s older brother, Taeshon, played collegiately and competes professionally overseas.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Sook also argued broadcast stations will continue to dominate political advertising sales, but faces stepped up competition from streaming services, where Nexstar competes with its NewsNation live TV streamer.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Still, the company faces the same existential headwinds that have scared other would-be moguls away from the news business.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
At Barton Creek Technologies, Anna Chen, the chief human resources officer, faces a dilemma over the company’s performance improvement plan (PIP).—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Jasmine Crowe-Houston is the founder of Goodr, an organization that regularly combats food waste by collaborating with businesses, foundations, governments, and sports teams to provide high-quality food to local communities.—
Ronny Maye,
Essence,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Nourish Up, an organization that combats hunger in Mecklenburg County through food banks, grocery delivery and the meals on wheels program, served 164,000 people in 2024 alone.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The case centers on a directive to use $4 billion from an alternative fund to pay November SNAP benefits in full—a move the administration opposes.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The Sports Betting Alliance, representing companies like Draft Kings and FanDuel, opposes the bill's revenue-sharing model.—
Frank Vaisvilas,
jsonline.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Battles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battles. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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