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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in combating
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict the two armies battled each other for control of the bridge

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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
In states and industries battling a persistently tight labor market, that advantage is hard to overstate. — Maha Jweied, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 The damage will be felt worldwide, not only in the countries leading AI’s development but in the many now battling to supply them with inputs, as well. — Ruchir Sharma, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026 Finally, Elsinore’s Andrew Scott wowed Telluride with his turn as Chariots of Fire actor Ian Charleson, who played Hamlet on the London stage while battling AIDS. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026 Hugo Weaving plays a brilliant but disgraced attorney, drowning in debt, who reluctantly defends an allegedly dangerous dog, battling to save its life. — Emily Longeretta, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026 In Congress, crypto companies are pushing for market-structure rules, AI firms are battling over how Washington will regulate their rapidly expanding industry, and sports-betting operators are confronting regulatory fights. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026 Crews with the Los Angeles County Fire Department are battling heavy flames at an Inglewood multi-unit commercial building, as thick smoke billows from a collapsed roof. — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 Two firefighters were hospitalized with heat exhaustion after battling a fire that spread across multiple floors of a downtown Sacramento building early Thursday, the Sacramento Fire Department said. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026 In Congo, where the outbreak has spread to seven provinces, responders are battling some of the worst conditions imaginable. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 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
  • Two former prime ministers under Macron, Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, are in the race; Philippe is competing with Mélenchon for second place, while Attal trails both.
    — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In the Actors’ Playhouse production, directed by David Arisco, its competing forces find expression in the performances, the costumes, choreography and even the arrangement of the set.
    — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of competing
Verb
  • Building this life is the gargantuan task facing people looking to fix the role of technology in their lives.
    — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • This is a kitchen table, existential economic issue that is facing Arizonans.
    — Hannah Knowles The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of facing
Verb
  • Unions can also be powerful tools for combating racial pay discrimination; the new report shows tripling union membership would narrow the racial wage gap by more than a third.
    — Liz Shuler, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Selick says that being hyper-focused on any drug is a distraction in combating the opioid crisis.
    — Mary Jane Gibson, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of combating
Verb
  • With opposing defenses likely to devote more attention to Anderson, Kohl emphasized the importance of getting other playmakers involved.
    — Alejandro Hernandez, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Trump’s post outlining a clear plan for construction complicates a federal court hearing scheduled for Monday in a lawsuit filed by the DC Preservation League and two golfers opposing the construction.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of opposing
Verb
  • The Netflix film, which premiered at New York Film Festival earlier this month, is one of 10 Oscar-contending feature documentaries included in Doc Stories’ lineup.
    — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Forecasting the Field The Olivias are contending for the top spots this year.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of contending
Verb
  • Yiyun Li on encountering the past in writing Music Against the Night.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Skipping furnace servicing can also heighten your risk of encountering problems like carbon monoxide leaks, poor air quality, and airflow, and inconsistent heating.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of encountering
Verb
  • Sessions this year addressed such topics as AI, workforce development, student success, campus safety and ways colleges can adapt to changing technology while meeting students' needs.
    — Brandon Smith, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Investigators also discovered that Alfozan had used a workplace productivity tool to research company buildings, conference room locations, meeting schedules, and areas frequented by executives.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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