How to pronounce battle
Say it like BAT-ul. Battle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce battle. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BAT
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Battle pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BATSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of battle
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: BAT-ul.
What does battle mean?
- a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war“Grant won a decisive victory in the battle of Chickamauga”“he lost his romantic ideas about war when he got into a real engagement”
- an energetic attempt to achieve something“getting through the crowd was a real struggle”“he fought a battle for recognition”
- an open clash between two opposing groups (or individuals)“the harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph”“police tried to control the battle between the pro- and anti-abortion mobs”
- battle or contend against in or as if in a battle“The Kurds are combating Iraqi troops in Northern Iraq”“We must combat the prejudices against other races”
Where does battle come from?
From Middle English batel, batell, batelle, batayle, bataylle, borrowed from Old French bataille, from Late Latin battālia, variant of battuālia (“fighting and fencing exercises”) from Latin battuō (“to strike, hit, beat, fight”), of uncertain origin.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with battle
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of battle.
Questions about saying battle
How do you pronounce battle?
Say BAT-ul. The American pronunciation is /ˈbætəl/. In British English it is /ˈbætəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in battle?
Battle has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAT). Broken into parts: BAT · ul.
Is battle pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t. The British form is /ˈbætəl/ (BAT-ul).