BATTLES Synonyms: 218 Similar and Opposite Words

battles 1 of 2

noun

plural of battle

as in fights

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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Relevance

as in skirmishes

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

truces

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

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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

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battles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of battle

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

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as in faces

to enter into contest or conflict with the two top-seeded tennis players battled each other for almost three hours

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in combats

to oppose (someone) in physical conflict the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in opposes

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 battles

Noun

Littrell's beachfront property has become a flash point in the beach battles. — Debbie Elliott, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026 California beat several bluebloods in the transfer portal and continues to win high school recruiting battles, with an elite 2027 class on the horizon led by Westlake wideout Charles Davis and Chaparral quarterback Dane Weber. — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 McMillan added 17 pounds of muscle on his 6-foot-4 frame to get to 220, which Panthers coach Dave Canales believes will help him defeat press coverage and win battles downfield. — Joseph Person, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 For the filmmakers, this of course would potentially mean a lot more scrutiny and studio battles than with individual territory buyers. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 More cities, more countries, team battles and a junior division for the next generation. — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026 Orbitals has its fair share of battles, with one player controlling the guns while the other steers the ship to take down turrets and incoming asteroids. — George Yang, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Snowplow parenting, however, takes things a step further and describes parents who not only overfocus, but overprotect their kids by fighting their battles for them. — Cheryl Maguire, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026 The policy updates come amid the slew of ongoing legal battles by players who were originally part of the 2022 high school recruiting class seeking a fifth year of collegiate eligibility. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026

Verb

The youngest of late Lakers owner Jerry Buss’ six children, the brothers have made the Padres their first major investment as the family battles over the sale of its remaining Lakers stake. — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Is Joe Biden’s wayward son trying to land a lucrative podcast deal or taking one last stand to clear his name as his father battles cancer? — Marlow Stern, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026 The team comes up with scenarios in which Emi fights a mech or battles yakuza in the clouds, and the fights defy expectations. — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026 Sierra Canyon battles a JSerra team looking to regain its former luster after finishing 3-7 in 2025. — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026 Going overboard is likely when the Scorpio moon battles Jupiter. — Usa Today, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 With his new superpowers, Rider battles numerous villains in space, including the Skrulls, who have appeared in recent MCU titles including Secret Invasion and 2019’s Captain Marvel. — Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026 The rapid growth comes as the company battles its longtime rival OpenAI to win over corporate customers. — Bailey Lipschultz, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026 Sactown will have to wait a little longer for some backflipping good music as Benson Boone battles vocal issues. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for battles

Noun

In a few boss fights, the battles can suddenly change into a completely different format.

— George Yang, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
While clearing mobs of enemies can be fun, the combat really shines during the game’s many boss fights.

— Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of fights

Noun

Its outcome will be a major milestone in the decades-long political skirmishes over CEQA.

— Dan Walters, Oc Register, 26 Aug. 2026
In 1988, for instance, Khomeini finally agreed to end his war with Iraq after the United States began engaging Iranian naval ships in direct skirmishes, leading him to fear that Reagan might formally align with Saddam Hussein’s regime.

— Nate Swanson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of skirmishes

Noun

This was reflected both in the administration’s statements and actions against the SPLC.

— Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Tuesday's meeting will also focus on whether lower costs are being passed through to consumers and on additional actions the administration could take to reduce prices at the pump, the official said.

— Luke Fountain, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of actions

Verb

The 2026 Honda Pilot competes against rivals like the Toyota Grand Highlander and Kia Telluride.

— Charles Singh, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Their case counts wide-release theatrical movies and the basic cable bundle, and leaves out streaming, YouTube, sports rights, and everything else that now competes for the same hours of your evening.

— Shubha Ghosh, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of competes

Verb

The Chinese government firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with the law.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
The Fed typically combats inflation by raising its benchmark interest rate to slow borrowing and spending and cool the economy.

— Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of combats

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battlers

battles

battles royal

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Style

“Battles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/battles. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of battles

noun

verb

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