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
Seamus Sullivan
september 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
Sheen described being at the center of seven family interventions, countless affairs, legal battles and messy divorces.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Barlow has impressed the most, Lambert has gotten better with each game, Chibrikov has won plenty of battles and Yager wins pucks in the defensive zone.
—Murat Ates, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Ring battles Ford and Chevy's battle at the 'ring blew up this summer, but both brands have tested there for years.
—ArsTechnica, 29 Sep. 2025
The dispute highlights ongoing political battles over the legacy of January 6 and how responsibility is framed.
—Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
Young has described her battles with mental health in the past.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
The architects of this transformation — Indonesia’s producers — are now grappling with how to sustain momentum while navigating everything from censorship battles to the challenge of serving 400 ready-to-release films through a distribution system that can only handle 150 annually.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
Hinako battles not just against her own mind, but with the rigid patriarchal norms and pressures of the era.
—Vincent Acovino, NPR, 22 Sep. 2025
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
The Fort Worth Independent School District could change course on its reading curriculum for elementary grades and adopt a new, controversial curriculum that contains religious references as the district battles an ongoing literacy crisis and a potential state takeover.
—Lina Ruiz
september 19, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Sep. 2025
The West may think of his nation in terms of space-age technology and zeitgeist-defining cultural phenomena like KPop Demon Hunters, though in truth South Korea battles the lowest birth rate, top suicide rate, and highest youth unemployment of any developed nation.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Milioti played Sofia Falcone, scion-ette of the Falcone crime family, who battles Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell) for control of Gotham.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
In the footage, Geralt approaches the domain of a wraith and battles the skeletal specter, culminating in a heart-ripping moment.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 14 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
Noun
Where many of Krishna’s battles end in death for the aggressor, this story is remarkable for its mercy—Krishna spares Kaliya after the snake’s wives and children emerge from the pond to plead on his behalf.
—Seamus Sullivan
september 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
Sheen described being at the center of seven family interventions, countless affairs, legal battles and messy divorces.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Barlow has impressed the most, Lambert has gotten better with each game, Chibrikov has won plenty of battles and Yager wins pucks in the defensive zone.
—Murat Ates, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Ring battles Ford and Chevy's battle at the 'ring blew up this summer, but both brands have tested there for years.
—ArsTechnica, 29 Sep. 2025
The dispute highlights ongoing political battles over the legacy of January 6 and how responsibility is framed.
—Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
Young has described her battles with mental health in the past.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
The architects of this transformation — Indonesia’s producers — are now grappling with how to sustain momentum while navigating everything from censorship battles to the challenge of serving 400 ready-to-release films through a distribution system that can only handle 150 annually.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
Hinako battles not just against her own mind, but with the rigid patriarchal norms and pressures of the era.
—Vincent Acovino, NPR, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
The Fort Worth Independent School District could change course on its reading curriculum for elementary grades and adopt a new, controversial curriculum that contains religious references as the district battles an ongoing literacy crisis and a potential state takeover.
—Lina Ruiz
september 19, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Sep. 2025
The West may think of his nation in terms of space-age technology and zeitgeist-defining cultural phenomena like KPop Demon Hunters, though in truth South Korea battles the lowest birth rate, top suicide rate, and highest youth unemployment of any developed nation.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Milioti played Sofia Falcone, scion-ette of the Falcone crime family, who battles Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell) for control of Gotham.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
In the footage, Geralt approaches the domain of a wraith and battles the skeletal specter, culminating in a heart-ripping moment.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 14 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battles
Noun
-
Burnett remembers volcanic fights between Mae and Louise, who would accuse Mae of trying to turn Burnett against her.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Including preliminary fights, the event ran for nearly six hours.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These issues are not unique to the WNBA, as its affiliate league, the NBA, has weathered refereeing controversies and skirmishes over player pay for years.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
-
All these years later, Corigliano’s symphony has outlasted those skirmishes and emerged sounding fresh and exciting and powerful.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Laughter from the crowd breaks the tension of what could have been understood as metaphor for Netanyahu’s actions.—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This sense of competition has caused countless promotions to create timeless matches and rivalries that have stood the test of time, whether your looking at the Territories Era, the Monday Night Wars between WWE and WCW, or the rivalry between NJPW and AJPW in Japan.—
Jeremy Hanna,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
What was one of the best rivalries in the 1980s and 90s has lost some of its luster more recently, with one or both of the programs being down for much of the last decade.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Supabase is built on Postgres, the popular developer database system that competes with Google’s Firebase and is a bet on an open-source future.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Riddle, who currently competes for Major League Wrestling (MLW), was a guest on the show to discuss his career.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Today, as the world faces over 60 conflicts — the highest number since the end of World War II — play remains as important as ever.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Now Parker faces the scrutiny of the general TV audience.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Joint Terrorism Task Force is a federal law enforcement organization that combats both domestic and international terrorism.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Becca Israel, director of the Nexus Project, a nonprofit that combats antisemitism and promotes democracy, said the administration's actions send conflicting messages.—
Jason DeRose,
NPR,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Consumer Watchdog, not surprisingly, opposes Lara’s new rules.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Next, imagine that those same authoritarian-minded people were recruited by and answer to a president who daily calls for investigations, fines, firings, lawsuits, or worse against any American individual or organization that opposes his policies.—
Patrick Eddington,
Oc Register,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Battles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battles. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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