battle
noun
a hostile encounter or engagement between opposing military forces.
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battle
1 American
[bat-l]
/ ˈbæt l /
noun
-
battles
plural
-
a hostile encounter or engagement between opposing military forces.
the battle of Waterloo.
-
participation in such hostile encounters or engagements.
wounds received in battle.
-
a fight between two persons or animals.
ordering a trial by battle to settle the dispute.
-
any conflict or struggle.
a battle for control of the Senate.
-
Archaic. a battalion.
verb (used without object)
battled,
battling
verb (used with object)
battled,
battling
-
to fight (a person, army, cause, etc.).
We battled strong winds and heavy rains in our small boat.
-
to force or accomplish by fighting, struggling, etc..
He battled his way to the top of his profession.
idioms
battle
2
American
[bat-l]
/ ˈbæt l /
verb (used with object)
Archaic.
battled,
battling
battle
1
British
/ ˈbætəl /
noun
-
a fight between large armed forces; military or naval engagement; combat
-
conflict; contention; struggle
his battle for recognition
-
to start fighting
verb
-
to fight in or as if in military combat; contend (with)
she battled against cancer
-
to struggle in order to achieve something or arrive somewhere
he battled through the crowd
-
(intr) to scrape a living, esp by doing odd jobs
Battle
2
British
/ ˈbætəl /
noun
Battle
3
British
/ ˈbætəl /
noun
battle
More Idioms
Synonym Usage
Battle, action, skirmish mean a conflict between organized armed forces. A battle is a prolonged and general conflict pursued to a definite decision: the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. A skirmish is a slight engagement, often on the periphery of an area of battle: several minor skirmishes. An action can be a battle or a skirmish or can refer to actual fighting or combat: a major military action; action along the border; He saw action in the campaign.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of battle1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English batail(le), batal, from Old French bataille, from Vulgar Latin battālia (unrecorded) for Late Latin battuālia (neuter plural) “gladiatorial exercises,” equivalent to battu(ere) “to strike” + -ālia, neuter plural of -ālis adjective suffix; see also -al 2, bate 2
Origin of battle2
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English batailen, from Middle French bataillier “to provide with batailles; see battlement
Explanation
A battle is an open struggle, usually between two groups — like a baseball championship game or a food fight. The word battle is often used in opposition to war, a series of battles. Perhaps you have heard someone tell you, after winning the first of many dance competitions, "You may have won the battle, but you haven’t won the war!" A battle doesn’t have to occur between two individuals or groups. You may endure an inner battle to cut down on junk food. If you skip those fries for lunch today, then you have won a small battle.
Vocabulary lists containing battle
Superhero Lexicon
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Beowulf vocabulary
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act V
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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:
That victory made the Myanmar native a champion questioned by some, but Van legitimized his reign by prevailing in a grueling battle against Tatsuro Taira last May, stopping his challenger in the final round.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
JSerra converted on three fourth downs in the second half Friday, allowing the Lions to battle back from a seven-point first-half deficit to beat host Bishop Amat 37-28.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Palantir is currently involved in a legal battle with the Mayor of London's office, over its decision to block the Metropolitan Police from agreeing a contract with the company.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
He “wrote a brief note to his new wife, now pregnant with their first child: ‘The battle is getting more merciless by the minute.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
The poem goes from comparing success to a nectar to talking about a battle.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Accounts of the Battle of Hengyang are scarce, particularly in English.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Shifen Fox, whose father was killed during the siege, sets out to rescue its story in “The Battle of Hengyang.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
The region was also the site of the Battle of Jutland, fought off Hanstholm in Northern Jutland.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
Sir Henry Wood composed the melody for the centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1905.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
I flipped it open and paged through to the section on the Battle of the Bulge.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
While Villa look in better shape as new players settle, Spurs have thrown money at their problems after two relegation battles, but are no closer to solving them.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
The story of one of the most hard-fought battles in World War II-era China was suppressed for years afterward by Communist authorities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
The site in the southern city of Taranto has been dogged by legal and political battles since 2012 over toxic emissions.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
In that respect, like many other merger battles, this one has been producing more murk than light.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
The history we learn is often about dates, battles, famous speeches, and court decisions.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Thoughts of a £100m-rated midfielder picking out a Brazil winger to head Bournemouth to victory in Europe was the stuff of fantasy as the Dorset club battled for survival.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
He battled it with chemotherapy and radiation, according to reporting from USA Today.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Harry battled the ministry in the courts after Ravec downgraded his security following his 2020 move.
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
Several new mothers battled what looked like postpartum depression.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
At the sound of footsteps approaching on the stones, hope and dread battled within me.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
He argued that it fed the dream that it could lead to greater riches for a population that is often battling to make ends meet.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
The Muslim-majority region, battling some of India's highest unemployment rates, has become increasingly dependent on outsiders to perform jobs that many locals consider menial, including domestic work, agriculture and construction.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
Two firefighters are being treated for minor injuries they suffered battling a Beverly Hills apartment fire Wednesday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
They set out again the next day, battling leeches and surviving on instant noodles, hiking through the mountains without any luck.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
The first responders were battling the blaze from a distance, but the fire was still burning.
From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
