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

Louder Than Fear, directed by Justin Krook and Michael Dwyer, documents the star’s journey to fame and his personal battles, including the aftermath of his 2008 private plane crash. — Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026

The eviction process was protracted and followed a series of complex legal battles led by residents of the encampment, who organized as a collective to advocate for their rights. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026

Samuel, 11, battles to enter an elite school after moving to a wealthy area. — John Hopewell, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026

Created in the 1970s by a vote of the people, the coastal commission has had to navigate some of the most high-profile and divisive battles in the state and has had no shortage of critics. — Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 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

While being in the midst of culture war battles, Clark has also been the victim of some hard fouls due to what's commonly been perceived as massive jealousy from her peers. — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Projecting a message of being reasonable and results-oriented doesn’t typically lead to lots of emotional displays and fierce online battles. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 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

Verb

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

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