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

The organization, which is responsible for cleaning up the messes after superhero battles, has something that Jean wants locked inside a vault. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 31 July 2026

Boxing enthusiasts eagerly await an explosive showdown as Lamont Roach (25-1-3, 10 KOs) battles William Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) for the vacant WBC lightweight championship. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Exposure of the abuses, legal battles, and an independent living movement caused a major shift toward integration. — Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 31 July 2026

The open environments led to much more chaotic horde battles compared with the older games' tighter, more claustrophobic corridors. — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 30 July 2026

Some of the best training camp battles over the next few weeks should be Williams going against Dallas’ outstanding young guards, Tyler Smith and Tyler Booker. — Jon MacHota, New York Times, 30 July 2026

Contestants compete one-on-one in elimination battles for the national championship title and a spot at the Red Bull BC One World Final in Toronto. — Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 July 2026

This week, an over-the-hill Kevin Hart, (pickleball) court battles, and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (and its related series), among others, demand your attention. — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 24 July 2026

In the decade since their divorce, Jolie and Pitt have been embroiled in a series of legal battles that have pulled back the curtain on their allegedly tumultuous family life. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 22 July 2026

Verb

The Packers signed long snapper Cal Adomitis as incumbent Matt Orzech battles a calf injury. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Stay open to alternative solutions while the Pisces moon battles Uranus. — Usa Today, USA Today, 31 July 2026

Holland holds onto his buoyancy even as his character battles the blues. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

The rebuff contributes to the future civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, in which Rhaenyra battles her half-brother Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) for the seat of power. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 30 July 2026

In recent years, the setup has become challenging for Brown, who battles hearing issues. — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Spain battles multiple blazes For Subscribers FORSUBSCRIBERS ‘Bite marks’ sent him to death row. — Reuters, NBC news, 26 July 2026

The warnings come as Europe battles a persistent heatwave this summer. — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 20 July 2026

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