Synonyms of battles

battles 1 of 2

noun

plural of battle

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

• fights
• struggles
• efforts
• frays
• throes
• works
• attempts
• pains
• scrabbles
• exertions
• wars
• endeavors
• tries
• toils
• troubles
• grinds
• tussles
• contests
• conflicts
• combats
• travails
• labors
• sweats
• warfares
• drudgeries
• strifes
• essays

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

• skirmishes
• fights
• clashes
• struggles
• tussles
• brawls
• scuffles
• contests
• conflicts
• dustups
• confrontations
• duels
• combats
• scrimmages
• frays
• altercations
• fracases
• scraps
• quarrels
• scrums
• disputes
• blows
• pitched battles
• hassles
• melees
• fistfights
• slugfests
• fisticuffs
• broils
• jousts
• squabbles
• affrays
• battles royal
• tangles
• controversies
• mix-ups
• donnybrooks
• spats
• rows
• disagreements
• wrangles
• punch-ups
• ruckuses
• punch-outs
• rough-and-tumbles
• tiffs
• ructions
• contretemps
• catfights
• arguments
• grapples
• fallings-out
• misunderstandings
• face-offs
• free-for-alls
• cross fires
• handgrips
• kickups
• argle-bargles
• argy-bargies

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• truces

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

• actions
• fields
• combats
• fires
• attacks
• hostilities
• firefights
• warfares
• operations
• services
• pitched battles
• duties

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

• rivalries
• struggles
• duels
• confrontations
• conflicts
• wars
• competitions
• contentions
• contests
• matches
• warfares
• clashes
• dogfights
• combats
• strifes
• ball games
• sweepstakes
• showdowns
• tugs-of-war
• face-offs
• grapples
• debates
• disputes
• quarrels
• disputations
• collisions
• horse races
• arguments
• controversies
• frictions
• disagreements
• nail-biters
• discords
• wrangles
• rows
• dissensions

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• harmonies
• concords
• peaces

battles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of battle

1

as in competes

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

• competes
• fights
• races
• contends
• rivals
• vies
• faces off
• challenges
• plays
• maneuvers
• engages
• goes out
• jostles
• works
• jockeys
• tries out
• trains

2

as in faces

to enter into contest or conflict with

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• faces
• encounters
• meets
• fights
• engages
• takes on
• rivals
• contends
• opposes
• emulates

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• escapes
• eludes
• retreats
• evades

3

as in combats

to oppose (someone) in physical conflict

the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fights
• combats
• wars (against)
• duels
• clashes (with)
• beats
• wrestles
• hits
• skirmishes (with)
• punches
• scrimmages (with)
• strikes
• boxes
• knocks
• pounds
• socks
• slaps
• belts
• jousts
• smacks
• spars
• swipes
• slams
• slugs
• buffets
• hammers
• smites
• bangs
• whales
• swats
• whacks
• thumps
• brawls
• batters
• bashes
• pastes
• bats
• slogs
• tussles
• bumps
• wallops
• grapples
• thwacks
• bops
• bludgeons
• scuffles
• clobbers
• collides

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• submits
• gives up
• surrenders

4

as in opposes

to strive to reduce or eliminate

we must battle hunger and poverty wherever they exist

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fights
• opposes
• combats
• counters
• contends (with)
• resists
• confronts
• oppugns
• withstands
• thwarts
• foils
• frustrates
• faces
• baffles
• checkmates
• meets
• defies

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• advances
• encourages
• promotes
• suffers
• fosters
• cultivates
• bears
• furthers
• nourishes
• endures
• advocates
• supports
• forwards
• nurtures
• backs
• abides
• endorses
• upholds
• champions

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of battles

Noun

Many of these battles played out in fits of gangland violence. — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Messi battles on Sunday as the world champion Argentina takes on Spain. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026

While the film dramatizes their journey, the events behind it unfolded over nearly a decade and became one of the most significant legal battles involving civilian search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean. — Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 17 July 2026

Enforcement is costly, complex, and prone to legal battles, with AI makers challenging vague wording and jurisdictional claims. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Peacock said his unit was involved in some of the major contests in the Northern Theater, including the battles of Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth. — Allen Breed, Fortune, 17 July 2026

Legal battles Last year, Haley joined a neighborhood group called the Safe and Sound Coalition, to take noise measurements, raise awareness and push the company and municipal leaders to make changes. — Lora Kolodny,jeniece Pettitt, CNBC, 16 July 2026

Months later, fatal ICE shootings, detention deaths and fresh political battles have thrust the agency back into the headlines. — Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 16 July 2026

By the time Apple wins its lawsuit against OpenAI, the decisive battles in the war might already be over. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 11 July 2026

Verb

Both the poem and the film center around Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, who battles his way back home after the Trojan War. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026

Emmet Sheehan battles through 5⅓ strong innings and Shohei Ohtani belts his ninth leadoff homer, but the Dodgers are swept for the first time this season. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026

If Wagner misses time again, if Suggs battles injuries again or if the roster isn’t completely healthy in April, expectations aren’t going anywhere. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2026

Right Now As the country battles a deadly second wave, international donations are helping local communities access essential items. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 June 2026

Both wholesome kids get caught in the crossfire when He-Man battles Skeletor’s army of Darth Vader lookalikes in — where else? — Jeffrey Ressner, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026

She is left to care for her partner’s elderly mom who battles Parkinson’s and dementia. — Idaho Statesman, 28 May 2026

An introverted young boxer with incredible ability and skill who battles to overcome low confidence, high anxiety and stage fright in pursuit of her potential. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 May 2026

Besting its record from a season ago will be a win for Las Vegas, while the rest of the group battles up top. — Sam Warren, New York Times, 15 May 2026