embattled
Americanadjective
-
disposed or prepared for battle.
-
engaged in or beset by conflict or struggle.
adjective
-
prepared for or engaged in conflict, controversy, or battle
-
heraldry having an indented edge resembling battlements
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of embattled
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; see embattle 1, -ed 2; embattled def. 2 probably by association with the general sense “restrict, enclose” of many verbs formed with em- 1, en- 1
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.
In April 2025, the governor of Nigeria's embattled Borno state, Babagana Zulum, alleged that informants and collaborators for Boko Haram insurgents were operating within the country's armed forces, political class and local communities.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
But Nanos has been embattled throughout the investigation, not just by criticism surrounding the Guthrie case.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
Insurance companies are exposed to the embattled private-credit industry in more ways than one, according to a new report by Clearwater Analytics, a portfolio-management software provider.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
Washington on Thursday threw its support behind embattled Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, offering emergency assistance while warning against attempts to topple the government.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
In the evening of October 25, a troop of eight emperor penguins waddled out of the fog and stood looking at the embattled ship.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
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.
