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:
When it came to endorsements, she added, he "had some mixed results, but most recently, his pick of Senator Darline Graham... was successful in her primary battle."
From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026
In this cosmic battle, dark energy appears to be winning — expanding our universe over trillions of years until everything thins and smooths out into almost nothingness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
A trade battle over about 5% of Canada’s exports to the U.S. is unnecessary right now.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Chris Richards: Good battle with Haaland, but only one player was winning that one.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
My eyes ran hungrily over the well-pressed uniform with its rows of brilliant-colored battle ribbons.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
That thoughtful vein is prominent in “Final Deployment 4: Queen Battle Walkthrough.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
In 2016, when the battle to liberate the city began, I set out to film a documentary, “The Battle of Mosul.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
The evidence suggests King Harold may have weakened his position well before the Battle of Hastings by supporting the wrong faction during a bitter conflict between two competing popes.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
George Osborn, journalist and author of Power Play: Video Games, Politics and the Battle for Global Influence, said it was still an "appealing" financial opportunity to PIF, external despite the enormous price tag.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Grandpa Blakeslee was supposed to be next, leading the column of younger, gun-toting veterans who were to charge up North Main Street, playing like this was the Battle of Gettysburg.
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
O'Sullivan has taken steps to prioritise his mental health in recent years, withdrawing from tournaments and discussing his battles with depression and anxiety.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Thirty-five years of Ukrainian independence constitutes a great victory, especially given the battles of the past 12 years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
"I plan to go to more battles," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
But ABC’s decision to switch stations in St. Louis next month is getting scrutiny from Federal Communications Chairman Brendan Carr, who is already engaged in multiple legal battles with the Disney-owned network.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Militants within the organization saw the election as an opportunity to install a new, more activist leadership—one which would reenergize a movement that had stalled after winning most of the battles against legalized segregation.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Made some really good deliveries in the first half and battled well all afternoon.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
Nepali soldiers battled Friday to reach 100 people trapped in a tunnel two days after deadly floods, as the risk of new torrents forced China to halt rescue efforts at its hardest-hit zone in Tibet.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
Britain's Heather Watson battled back from a set down against Claire Liu to keep alive her hopes of securing a first US Open main-draw appearance in five years.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Panettiere gave birth to her daughter, with boxing champ Wladimir Klitschko, in 2014 and battled postpartum depression.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
In the month of May alone, unions across the nation battled with employers in 413 strikes and lockouts.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
Rescuers in Nepal and China were still battling Saturday to locate thousands of people missing days after a deadly, tsunami-like wall of water and debris swept through the Himalayan region, engulfing villages.
From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026
Mr. Hoser was already battling the governmental authorities over his license to keep reptiles; now the scientific community had rebuffed him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
The actor died Saturday in Los Angeles surrounded by loved ones after battling pneumonia, her family told The Times on Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Last month, authorities recorded at least six deaths caused by fires, with crews battling more than 2,000 blazes across Algeria in July alone.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
It took a frightfully long time—Sir Lancelot's innings frequently lasted all day, if he were battling against a good knight—and the movements had a feeling of slow-motion, because of the weight at armour.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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.
