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battle
/ˈbætəl/
fight between armies
The soldiers fought a fierce battle against the enemy.
The soldiers engaged in a violent fight with the opposing army.
formal
A violent fight between opposing groups, especially armies.
The Battle of Waterloo was a decisive conflict in 1815.
The fight at Waterloo in 1815 was a key historical event.
She won the battle against her illness.
She successfully fought and overcame her disease.
Can refer to literal military conflicts or metaphorical struggles (e.g., 'battle of wits').
formal
To struggle tenaciously to achieve something.
He battled through the pain to finish the race.
He persisted despite his injuries to complete the race.
Often used with 'against' or 'for' (e.g., 'battle for justice').
Collocations
battle againstto fight someone or somethingwin/lose a battleto succeed or fail in a fightbattle crya shouted phrase used to motivate fightersbattlefieldthe area where a fight takes place
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoid confusion with 'battalion'
'Battle' refers to a fight or struggle, while 'battalion' is a large military unit. They sound similar but have different meanings.
Gold Rule
Prepositions with 'battle'
Use 'against' for opponents (e.g., 'battle against disease') and 'for' for goals (e.g., 'battle for freedom').
Word Origin
From Old English 'beadu' (battle, war), related to Old High German 'beit' and Old Norse 'bǫð'. Ultimately from Proto-Germanic '*badwō' (battle).
Usage Notes
Commonly used in historical contexts (e.g., 'Battle of Hastings') or metaphorically (e.g., 'battle of ideas'). The verb form emphasizes persistence despite difficulty.
Word Breakdown
batt
fight/war
root-le
diminutive or collective suffix
suffixEnglish Dictionary