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Synonyms

battle cry

American  

noun

  1. a cry or shout of troops in battle.

  2. the phrase or slogan used in any contest or campaign.


battle cry British  

noun

  1. a shout uttered by soldiers going into battle

  2. a slogan used to rally the supporters of a campaign, movement, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of battle cry

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Casting a human loss in the language of insult revealed how little moral gravity has to register before it is turned into another battle cry.

From Salon Dec. 21, 2025

"You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry," she said.

From BBC Sep. 13, 2025

Olsen: The song also includes the moment that’s known as Elphaba’s battle cry.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 21, 2024

In today’s real-world context, Mr. Kerry’s battle cry is silly and self-destructive.

From Washington Times Dec. 26, 2023

“To out-Eiffel Eiffel” had become a battle cry among the directors.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

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