battle 1 of 2

1
2
3
as in field
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

battle

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to compete
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 to face
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
4

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 battle
Noun
Michael Mann, Francis Ford Coppola, Nicolas Cage Pay Tribute to Actor By the time the sequel was filmed and finally came out — there were COVID delays as Tom Cruise (rightly) insisted on a theatrical release — Kilmer was quite deep into his battle with throat cancer. Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2025 And maybe the downfall is that Lex has decided what's right between those two and which should win out, whereas Superman and Lois are in a constant battle about what is right, so they each get checked by the other. Mike Miller, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
Even without soil testing, there are plenty of reasons to be alarmed: Early research has found alarmingly high levels of lead and mercury in the blood of firefighters who battled the Eaton and Palisades fires. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2025 Meanwhile, firefighters in California continued to battle a blaze that broke out near Bishop, a city located between Yosemite National Park and Death Valley National Park in Inyo County. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for battle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battle
Noun
  • In the co-main event of the fight card, Brandon Grach and Liam Talivaa face off in a heavyweight rematch.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Officers were dispatched to Monterey Road and East Sixth Street around midnight Monday for reports of a fight, the Gilroy Police Department said in a news release.
    Jason Green, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The clashes are a sign of growing tensions at the Lebanon-Syria border, northeast of the Beqaa valley, where predominantly Shiite Lebanese villages have seen skirmishes with Syrian soldiers in recent weeks.
    Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025
  • After his skirmish with Diarra, Neal waved his arms to fire up Creighton fans in the sellout crowd.
    Ryan Morik, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Grimes scored in bunches against the Knicks on Tuesday and finished with a team-high 26 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the field, 1-of-6 shooting from the three-point line and 9-of-10 from the foul line.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The Los Angeles Dodgers were seen celebrating their victory on the field after winning the World Series last year.
    Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Ricky Steamboat From Clash Of The Champions 6 The intense rivalry between Ricky Steamboat and Flair produced some of the most celebrated matches in professional wrestling history.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
  • But in China, it is seen as a prime battleground in the U.S.-China rivalry.
    Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Eventually, some programs may decide that trying to compete isn't worth the expense, said Sam Ehrlich, a professor at Boise State University who tracks college sports litigation.
    Becky Sullivan, NPR, 7 Apr. 2025
  • This marks the show’s first time competing in the full-length variety talk category after previously entering in short form fields.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Chandler is 2-4 with the UFC, but outside his 2022 matchup against a fading Tony Ferguson, the 38-year-old has only faced the elite of the division.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The brand sources its whiskey from other distilleries, but in 2022 it was announced that Pernod would build a dedicated distillery and warehouses for the brand, proof of its success and belief in the future of American whiskey (which, admittedly, is currently facing some headwinds).
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • To address this, companies should foster cross-functional collaboration and knowledge-sharing, ensuring that both teams work together to combat climate corruption.
    Oludolapo Makinde, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • This lip mask is super hydrating — key to combat dry airplane cabin air — and luxurious feeling.
    Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • He will be opposed by Rule 5 draft pick Shane Smith, who will be making his major league debut.
    Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 1 Apr. 2025
  • In a filing Tuesday, the US Attorney’s Office in Boston opposed Ozturk’s habeas petition, saying the Boston court does not have jurisdiction in the case because the Tufts University student was transferred out of the state shortly after her arrest.
    Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Battle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battle. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on battle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!