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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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2
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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3
as in combats
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge

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4
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
Teams earned points by winning weekly head-to-head battles – tugging a sled across the field the fastest, surviving a heated game of dodgeball – and by simply doing the right thing. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026 More recently, the legal battles became the subject of barbs and jokes as comedian Bill Maher accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in late June. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 After months of sharp clashes, the winners of Tuesday’s primaries are now pivoting for another round of battles against new challengers in the November election. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026 After nearly a decade of legal battles, Manhattan’s Elizabeth Street Garden may finally be saved. — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 13 Aug. 2026 As Eakin details, the battles over theory weren’t confined to academia, said Jonathan Derbyshire in the Financial Times. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 13 Aug. 2026 Both gender critical feminists and trans activists have become locked in endless battles around safety and danger, victim versus perpetrator. — Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026 Samuel, 11, battles to enter an elite school after moving to a wealthy area. — John Hopewell, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 Critics argue these legal battles, often against tiny businesses, damage Buc-ee's reputation for being a fun company. — Allen Adamson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
The rapid growth comes as the company battles its longtime rival OpenAI to win over corporate customers. — Bailey Lipschultz, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026 Sactown will have to wait a little longer for some backflipping good music as Benson Boone battles vocal issues. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 Aug. 2026 Cyclosporiasis cases are continuing to pop up across New York City as the nation battles a sharp increase of the infection, which has gone viral for its symptoms of explosive bowel movements. — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 This creates a broken hiring system where AI battles AI and traditional resumes perpetuate bias. — Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battles
  1. fights
  2. skirmishes
  3. actions
  4. rivalries
  5. competes
  6. faces
  7. combats
  8. opposes
Noun
  • There is a lot of discussion about how far these fights have gone and what the low blows consist of.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • About eight fights broke out throughout the two-hour session, significantly impacting the ability of either team to get in as much quality work as expected.
    — Jon Machota, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of fights
Noun
  • The controversy is at once new and familiar, reflecting both the dramatic changes that the proliferation of AI has wrought on book publishing and echoing other skirmishes this year in which authors have been accused of using AI.
    — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Frantic skirmishes between the family and the beast take place as the house floods, and eventually the invading creature is tangled up in a trap.
    — William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of skirmishes
Noun
  • Then in August, the UK AI Security Institute shared a report detailing how Anthropic’s Mythos 5 took autonomous, unsanctioned actions on the internet in a training evaluation, targeting real people and organizations.
    — Tim Keary, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Colorado attorneys used the email as part of their argument that the Executive Office of the President should be required to turn over additional records related to those actions.
    — Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of actions
Noun
  • Dynastic rivalries, regional rebellions, economic disruption, and the demographic effects of the Black Death all undermined imperial authority.
    — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Professional sports have always thrived on heroes, villains, rivalries and grievances.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of rivalries
Verb
  • Amazon is also continuing to invest in its warehouses, smaller fulfillment centers closer to customers and its fleet of trucks as the company competes to deliver packages within minutes or hours instead of just days.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Čihař competes hard, engages in physical play and gets to the net to create offense in a way that should translate to higher levels.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of competes
Verb
  • According to information presented in court Wednesday, McGraw now faces nine charges and 273 specifications involving 93 alleged victims, the station reported.
    — Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2026
  • As traditional luxury faces consumer resistance to ever-increasing costs, DeMellier offers design, craftsmanship, and value without the exorbitant price tag.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of faces
Verb
  • Zuckerberg also published a lengthy manifesto laying out his vision and approach to AI, attempting to assuage wide-ranging concerns about AI as the company combats criticisms about its data center buildout and AI smart glasses.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • One of the ways Landers combats this tendency is to be radically transparent.
    — Mark C. Perna, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of combats
Verb
  • Later, the Moon opposes Saturn in your 1st House of Identity, asking whether an agreement still honors your own limits.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2026
  • But that popularity may not translate directly into votes, according to Kevin Sabet, CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a non-profit that opposes marijuana legalization and commercialization.
    — Bob Woods, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of opposes

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Cite this Entry

“Battles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battles. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of battles for Spanish Speakers

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