battle royale

American  

[bat-l roi-al] / ˈbæt l rɔɪˈæl /

Also last man standing

noun

battle royales, plural battles royale plural

1. a fight, often to the death, in which more than two combatants are engaged and the victor is the last surviving participant.

2. battle royal.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a genre of fiction, television show, movie, or video game that features this kind of elimination fight to the death: a battle royale movie trilogy set in a dystopian future.

   battle royale FPS games;

   a battle royale movie trilogy set in a dystopian future.

Etymology

Origin of battle royale

First recorded in 1830–40; originally a variant spelling of battle royal ( def. )

Example Sentences

You don’t fight as a choirboy in a battle royale.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

"Battlefield" challenges its rival with smaller multiplayer maps than usual and a "battle royale" mode where players eliminate each other one by one, similar to a popular mode found on "Call of Duty".

From Barron's • Nov. 13, 2025

Earlier this year “Fortnite” launched “Galactic Battle,” which was billed as its biggest Star Wars-themed tie-in, as well as a “Simpsons”-themed battle royale mini-season that kicked off earlier this month.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 5, 2025

The battle royale fighting game is much more than a game—Marshmello, Travis Scott, Ariana Grande, and Eminem have all played virtual concerts there.

From Slate • Dec. 15, 2023

He truly wanted to be in his own bed right now or playing an online round of battle royale with Weslee and Steven.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young