BATTLES Synonyms: 218 Similar and Opposite Words

battles 1 of 2

noun

plural of battle

as in fights

a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective passing the medical licensing exam was an uphill battle, but she succeeded

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Relevance

as in skirmishes

a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups a battle between rival gangs left two people lying dead on the street

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truces

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

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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

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battles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of battle

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

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as in faces

to enter into contest or conflict with the two top-seeded tennis players battled each other for almost three hours

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as in combats

to oppose (someone) in physical conflict the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge

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as in opposes

to strive to reduce or eliminate we must battle hunger and poverty wherever they exist

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of battles

Noun

Grandmasters chronicles the rivalries, reinventions, and personal battles shaping the modern pursuit of greatness in the game of kings. —

Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026 Passages range from the creation of the world to bloody battles and apocalyptic destruction, from exhortations to love of God, neighbor and the needy to passages telling of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. —

ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026 Right tackle will be one of the best battles in fall camp. —

Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026 Restitution claims frequently ignite extensive legal battles. —

Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026 In courts across the country, a growing number of legal battles have been playing out that pit the rights of parents to direct their child's care against policies that aim to protect students' privacy and prevent public schools from outing transgender students to their families. —

Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026 There are seemingly constant battles over land rights with the state of Oklahoma and varying interpretations of criminal and civil law. —

Keith Sharon, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026 Disrupting the opposition’s ground game and winning the battles in the trenches is an ongoing goal for the Chargers with Jim Harbaugh as their head coach. —

Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026 That’s right, Fox News Digital is reporting that there are even secret battles about who gets to wear blue. —

Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 19 Apr. 2026

Verb

As Halsey battles addiction and Luke confronts his own darkness, their growing feelings force them to question if love is worth the risk. —

Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 19 Apr. 2026 The three-match tournament ends with rivalry matchups next Friday in Chicago, when USA faces Canada and Australia battles New Zealand. —

Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2026 Barred from his high school basketball team due to his temper, a hot-head, street-baller battles demons from his past and present to earn a spot on a summer league team and his last shot at a college basketball scholarship. —

Angelique Jackson, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026 Beth, who is voiced by Sarah Chalke, asks dad Rick (Ian Cardoni) in the footage as the family battles a beast comprised of couch cushions. —

Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026 Despite its decades-long transformation into a thriving hub for robotics, health care and higher education, Pittsburgh continually battles to shake off its 20th-century Rust Belt reputation in the national consciousness. —

Tim Derdenger, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026 The series ran from 1993 to 2001 and followed Ranger Cordell Walker, a Texas lawman who battles crime with a black belt and strong personal code. —

Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026 As fans debate whether to renew now, there is again a question mark hanging over the club, as Pereira battles to lead Forest clear of the threat of relegation. —

Paul Taylor, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026 Steve Kerr has repeatedly emphasized that the team needs to be creative to find spacing around Green while Curry battles runner’s knee, and the new starting lineup brought four capable 3-point shooters onto the floor. —

Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for battles

Noun

There are glimpses of crossover fights between Gambit (Channing Tatum) and Shang-Chi (Simu Liu); Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh); and Doom and Thor (Hemsworth).

— Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Another admonishes participants not to urinate in the street, start fights, block streets, climb on cars or deface property — all things that have been problems some years.

— Larry Neumeister, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026