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
Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Book bans have been an ongoing battle in Alabama and throughout pockets of the U.S. in recent years.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
Travis Bean, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Offensive linemen Darnell Wright and Coleman Shelton, safety Kevin Byard and wide receiver Keenan Allen, who battled injuries during the week, are good to play.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for battle 
Noun
What was expected to be an epic battle for the ages between big-market clubs such as the Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Mets is finally over.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Book bans have been an ongoing battle in Alabama and throughout pockets of the U.S. in recent years.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
This sci-fi film takes viewers to a near future where our main character Nick (Michele Morrone), a construction foreman struggling to manage his family while his wife Maggie (Madeline Zima) battles a serious illness, turns to a subservient robot named Alice (played by Fox) for help.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Offensive linemen Darnell Wright and Coleman Shelton, safety Kevin Byard and wide receiver Keenan Allen, who battled injuries during the week, are good to play.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for battle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for battle
Noun
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While the fight was supposed to be an exhibition, Anpo didn’t appear to get the memo.Brian Mazique, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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Dylan and Baez didn’t get into a fight onstage over the setlist.Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The skirmish ended with engineers blowing up a bridge the two Russian assault groups had used to approach Pokrovsk.David Axe, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
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Peterson referenced the skirmishes and fights at several NCAA football games on Saturday.Ben Morse, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Then, at the end of the quarter, quarterback Aidan O’Connell was knocked out of the game and carted off the field with a knee injury and an air cast on his leg.Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
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The two teams will meet once again Sunday, but the drama between Pickens and Browns won't transpire on the field this time.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey is inactive for Sunday's rivalry matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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Just look at what even happened in college football, some of these rivalry games and things of that nature over the weekend.Ben Morse, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Looking ahead to 2025, Muniz will compete full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 33 Ford F-150 for Reaume Brothers Racing.Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024
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This put pressure on the industry to develop technological solutions as companies competed to develop better products.Susan Solomon, WIRED, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Payers are focused on reducing costs to boost profitability, often leading to friction with healthcare providers who face increasing administrative burdens and diminishing financial returns.Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
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The suspect in Thompson’s death, Mangione, a Gilman graduate, faces five charges in New York, the most serious being second-degree murder, which in New York is roughly the same as Maryland’s first degree murder statute.Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Biden noted steps his administration has taken to combat gun violence, including the passage of the most significant gun-safety legislation in nearly 30 years.Michael Collins, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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In the days leading up to the initial March for Our Lives, the student-run nonprofit March for Our Lives was formed to combat gun violence.Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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On Saturday, the group stormed the city of Homs where the Syrian rebellion began in 2011, also releasing prisoners who had opposed Assad's regime and languished in Syria's infamous jails for years.ABC News, ABC News, 8 Dec. 2024
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Yoon's party called for his removal on Friday, although the party remained formally opposed to impeachment.Landon Mion, Fox News, 7 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Battle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battle. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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