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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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of battles
Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Years of lobbying and court battles by the LGBTQ community have achieved a few successes over the past decade.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
Local resistance, zoning battles, and the usual skepticism that greets ambitious Black women in business—Johnson faced it all and kept building.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 15 Sep. 2025
The Horned Frogs’ secondary was also flagged three times for pass interference as the corners and safeties struggled to win their individual battles.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2025
The Maritime Festival, with its ship battles, pirate village and breakfasts with mermaids, routinely draws thousands to Dana Point Harbor.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
The film feels like one of Ghostface’s last, epic battles against a final girl, stretched out to an hour-and-a-half run time.
—Yasmeen Hamadeh, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2025
Launched in 2003, this sci-fi MMORPG has played host to epic spaceship battles and intergalactic heists on a scale that most other multiplayer games can only dream of.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Russell knew exactly how to pick his battles his moments.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
Bateman's character, Vince Friedken, battles a gambling addiction in a trailer for the crime thriller, as Law's Jake Friedken celebrates the growing success of his buzzy establishment.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Another player to watch on this offense is first-round rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden, who has a chance to make an impact right away as Jayden Reed battles a foot injury.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Cue the predictable spooky mayhem as everyone battles a series of evil manifestations, including dolls, that by now feel all too familiar in their jump scares.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
While career prep still battles outdated perceptions, models like P-TECH programs are proof that pathways deliver rigor and results.
—Matt Gandal, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Alexa Ray Joel shared an update on her father Billy Joel's health as the legendary singer battles a brain disorder.
—Ashley Hume , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Aided by friends Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Willow (Alyson Hannigan) while under the tutelage of her Watcher, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), Buffy battles all who threaten the world she’s sworn to protect.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
As Erivo’s green-skinned character attempts to save Oz’s animals while evading capture from the Wizard of Oz’s army, Grande’s character battles internal conflict over her role as a spokeswoman for the Wizard’s regime.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
The musical battles in K-Popped did require them to compete against each other.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Years of lobbying and court battles by the LGBTQ community have achieved a few successes over the past decade.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
Local resistance, zoning battles, and the usual skepticism that greets ambitious Black women in business—Johnson faced it all and kept building.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 15 Sep. 2025
The Horned Frogs’ secondary was also flagged three times for pass interference as the corners and safeties struggled to win their individual battles.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2025
The Maritime Festival, with its ship battles, pirate village and breakfasts with mermaids, routinely draws thousands to Dana Point Harbor.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
The film feels like one of Ghostface’s last, epic battles against a final girl, stretched out to an hour-and-a-half run time.
—Yasmeen Hamadeh, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2025
Launched in 2003, this sci-fi MMORPG has played host to epic spaceship battles and intergalactic heists on a scale that most other multiplayer games can only dream of.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Russell knew exactly how to pick his battles his moments.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
Many of the amendments are likely to spark infighting among Republicans as the party battles over whether to become more isolationist in the face of skepticism about assisting foreign countries.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
Bateman's character, Vince Friedken, battles a gambling addiction in a trailer for the crime thriller, as Law's Jake Friedken celebrates the growing success of his buzzy establishment.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Another player to watch on this offense is first-round rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden, who has a chance to make an impact right away as Jayden Reed battles a foot injury.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Cue the predictable spooky mayhem as everyone battles a series of evil manifestations, including dolls, that by now feel all too familiar in their jump scares.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
While career prep still battles outdated perceptions, models like P-TECH programs are proof that pathways deliver rigor and results.
—Matt Gandal, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Alexa Ray Joel shared an update on her father Billy Joel's health as the legendary singer battles a brain disorder.
—Ashley Hume , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Aided by friends Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Willow (Alyson Hannigan) while under the tutelage of her Watcher, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), Buffy battles all who threaten the world she’s sworn to protect.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
As Erivo’s green-skinned character attempts to save Oz’s animals while evading capture from the Wizard of Oz’s army, Grande’s character battles internal conflict over her role as a spokeswoman for the Wizard’s regime.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battles
Noun
-
Whereas large investors once uniformly supported settlements to avoid costly fights, some now argue that quick capitulations undermine shareholder democracy and give too much power to activists.—
Kai Liekefett,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The 6-foot-6 defenseman decisively won his fights.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Still one of the NFL’s nastiest division rivalries, the game was full of skirmishes and a near-costly unnecessary roughness penalty late in the third against the Eagles that put the Cowboys in position to take the lead.—
Dan Gelston,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Ideological skirmishes over the motives and obligations of Carpenter’s music include both sincere interrogation of its feminism and smirking counteractive reprisals to that scrutiny.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Similar to the way Madueke drove at his man without hesitation, those first-time strikes were very welcome after last season, when many actions in and around the penalty area felt a bit too laborious.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
-
These small but deliberate actions can open doors to new learning and strengthen workplace success.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
During his over five-decade career, Lawler was part of many iconic rivalries against the likes of Bret Hart, Kerry Von Erich, Terry Funk, Andy Kaufman, and much more.—
Jeremy Hanna,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
No doubt, rivalries and disagreements still exist.—
David Mednicoff,
The Conversation,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Google, whose Gemini chatbot competes with ChatGPT, has been slower to sign such deals.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Bill Belichick camped the team at Palm Beach Atlantic University, a private Christian school that competes at the Division II level.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Trump is a man of many hats Immigration has become the dominant political issue in Britain, eclipsing concerns over a faltering economy, as the country faces a record number of asylum claims.—
Vitalii Yalahuzian,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
-
As Israel mobilizes an additional 60,000 reservists for its Gaza City offensive, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a showdown over mandatory military service for the Ultra-Orthodox community, a debate sharpened by the strain on reservists pulled from their families for months at a time.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Lately Rigel has seen big sales increases for a few of its drugs, notably Tavelisse, which combats a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks its own blood platelets.—
John Dorfman,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Ant International claims the platform combats hallucinations and other data risks by using over 100 recognition models and 600,000 risk lexicons.—
Lionel Lim,
Fortune,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The administration counters that the injunction forces the executive branch to take steps that undermine its own policy, including negotiating with foreign governments over funds the president opposes and sending contradictory signals to Congress.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Kelley is chastised and eventually replaced by Gustave Gilbert (Colin Hanks), a rival psychologist with a different take, one that opposes Kelley’s more humanistic approach in defining the horrors of that time.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Battles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battles. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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