battling 1 of 2

adjective

as in fighting

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battling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of battle
1
as in competing
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
2
as in facing
to enter into contest or conflict with the two top-seeded tennis players battled each other for almost three hours

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in combating
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 opposing
to strive to reduce or eliminate we must battle hunger and poverty wherever they exist

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 battling
Verb
Joe died on June 27, 2018, at the age of 89 after battling terminal cancer. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2026 Fire crews continued to make progress battling three wildfires overnight, strengthening containment lines and mopping up a spot fire, an incident commander said Tuesday. — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 4 Aug. 2026 Strong winds were dying down Monday, raising hopes that the nearly 500 firefighters battling the blaze could manage to halt its advance. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile in Greece, two firefighting helicopters collided in midair over the weekend while battling a wildfire northwest of Athens. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026 More than 900 firefighting personnel, including from outside the state, were battling the blazes, officials said. — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 Like other health insurers, particularly those providing privatized Medicare Advantage, Humana has been battling rising medical expenses from customers in its health plans. — Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 As messages of support poured in, firefighters continued battling three major blazes being managed as part of the Spokane-area wildfire response. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026 So at minimum, that should lead to a division playoff race with six teams battling for, at most, five spots. — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battling
  1. fighting
  2. competing
  3. facing
  4. combating
  5. opposing
  6. contending
  7. encountering
  8. meeting
Adjective
  • After having two children and settling into post-fighting life on her farm in Riverside, Rousey seriously began to consider an MMA return last year.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 17 May 2026
  • Speaking ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Johnson told the BBC that the troops should be sent to peaceful regions in non-fighting roles.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Definition of fighting
Verb
  • Cripps said her son was in Japan competing in a sporting event but called her in a panic.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Across town in Buckhead, 70-year-old Scott Toberman spends five days a week chasing pickleballs across the court, often competing against opponents decades younger.
    — Nancy Badertscher, AJC.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of competing
Verb
  • Although customer-facing data wasn’t breached, the incidents raised fresh concerns over cybersecurity.
    — Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Between the two canal-facing wings, a gorgeous garden is the perfect venue for aperitivi.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of facing
Verb
  • Winner of the Envision Award, which is provided to a project that explores the complexities of shared society by combating prejudice and hate.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Calaveras County Sheriff Rachelle Whiting declared a local state of emergency, allowing the county to seek greater state assistance in combatting the fire and mitigating damages.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of combating
Verb
  • The Fulton County Commission unanimously voted Wednesday to adopt a resolution formally opposing efforts by development authorities to reduce property taxes as a data center recruitment tool.
    — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with pro-Israel group American Israel Public Affairs Committee, spent millions opposing Bush in both the 2024 and 2026 primaries.
    — ABC NEWS, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of opposing
Verb
  • Then the team didn’t make any serious additions at the 2024 deadline even though the Twins were contending for a wild-card spot, a decision that backfired when a club that was 70-53 collapsed, losing 29 of 41 games and missing the playoffs.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The team figures to be sellers at the deadline and Holmes is certainly someone that a few contending teams would want on their roster.
    — Mike Barner, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of contending
Verb
  • Yet early-career professionals are not the only people encountering hiring barriers.
    — Sheila Callaham, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Often equal parts unproven and exciting, often unknown, often encountering the Premier League for the first time.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Definition of encountering
Verb
  • The cumulative impression of Alice that the book leaves is of someone moving serenely through life, meeting fond blessings and awful curses both with the same calm equanimity.
    — Ian Penman, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • After meeting at a Neville Brothers crawfish boil, the pair wandered through the French Quarter, eventually trailed by an impromptu parade of Deadheads.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of meeting

Browse Nearby Words

battles royal
battling
batty
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Cite this Entry

“Battling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battling. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on battling

Nglish: Translation of battling for Spanish Speakers

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