1
as in fight
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 skirmish
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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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
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4
as in rivalry
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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1
2
3
as in to fight
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict
the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge
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4
as in to oppose
to strive to reduce or eliminate
we must battle hunger and poverty wherever they exist
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of battle
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
This is where the battle between hope and expectation come into play.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2024
David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
Israel has been battling Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and overnight at least 19 people were injured in the central Israeli city of Tira after projectiles were launched over the border.
—Vasco Cotovio, CNN, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for battle 
Noun
And after the chaos Washington descended into following the 2020 election, analysts might be prudent to assume Trump wouldn’t take another loss without an intense battle.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
This is where the battle between hope and expectation come into play.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors
James Van Der Beek is battling cancer.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
Israel has been battling Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and overnight at least 19 people were injured in the central Israeli city of Tira after projectiles were launched over the border.
—Vasco Cotovio, CNN, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for battle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battle
Noun
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Witnesses and surveillance video footage established that there were multiple fights involving the concerned parties throughout the evening.Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
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In 2022, President Joe Biden announced a new effort to protect old forests, which are key to the fight against climate change.April Ehrlich, ProPublica, 12 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The United States has consistently urged caution and restraint on both sides of the conflict, warning that the continuation of the skirmishes could unintentionally erupt into a broad regional war.Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Oct. 2024
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The commission must now fight a separate legal battle in a bid to enforce the fine — one of many skirmishes pitting the Australian government against tech mogul Musk.Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Asia, 4 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Lastly, some of this knowledge was learned the hard way: By messing up in the field a few times and finally learning from those mistakes.Joe Arterburn, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024
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Over six years later, that opinion still stands among experts in the field.Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The movie stars Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon in a bitter rivalry during a high school election.Erik Kain, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin play cousins whose tour through Poland in honor of their grandmother sparks some serious family rivalry.Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
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One of those women, an unidentified current cross country runner, shared her experience of having to compete against one of those athletes during the hearing.Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
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In September 2020, Wilson decided to make the switch and signed to compete in acrobatics and tumbling at Oregon.Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Blackwood faced New Jersey once last season, on Feb. 27 at SAP Center, but an injury forced him to leave the game after just 17 minutes.Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
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Chargers don’t let their guard down Chargers face Titans with another chance to bury the past Wednesdays normally include a visit to the weight room for a workout with Ben Herbert, the Chargers’ director of player performance.Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 8 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Her re-election sets Phoenix up to continue growing the burgeoning technology and health care industries, building sustainable infrastructure to combat climate change and expanding public transportation options.Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
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Researchers could face obstacles in tracking and combating climate change, leaving governments and businesses less prepared for its impacts and less able to help thwart climate change.Douglas B. Laney, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Such a test would be a sign of China’s weakening influence over Pyongyang and could spur Seoul to try to acquire nuclear weapons of its own—a position that both South Korea and the United States officially oppose but is gaining traction in Western policy circles.Sungmin Cho, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
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On October 10, commissioners voted to oppose an expansion of the number of SpaceX rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, on the Santa Barbara coast.Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Battle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battle. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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