battle cry

American  

noun

1. a cry or shout of troops in battle.

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

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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

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Etymology

Origin of battle cry

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

battle cry

It has become something of a battle cry for his squad during the tournament and even appears on a motivational poster in his office.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

The series, which ran from 1983 to 1985, nailed down He-Man’s iconic battle cry, “I have the power!” and continued to expand the hero’s reach.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026

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

With Zoë, she offers a generational battle cry: “Rise my post-menopausal sisters and fight; you have nothing to lose but your culturally imposed feelings of irrelevance.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2025

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

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