Embattled
adjective
Serious difficulty or problem with something or someone.
The embattled manager is under pressure to resign.
adjective
In the middle of a serious conflict or struggle.
The embattled country is facing severe economic crisis.
adjective
Surrounded by protective ramparts, as in a fortress or castle.
The embattled tower overlooked the entire kingdom.
Usage tips
Historical
adjective
Serious difficulty or problem with something or someone.
The embattled manager is under pressure to resign.
adjective
In the middle of a serious conflict or struggle.
The embattled country is facing severe economic crisis.
adjective
Surrounded by protective ramparts, as in a fortress or castle.
The embattled tower overlooked the entire kingdom.
Usage tips
Historical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Figurative Use
Often used metaphorically to describe someone facing a lot of criticism or trouble.
The embattled CEO faced a wave of public outrage.
Pro Tip 2/3Headline Friendly
Common in news articles to convey urgency about someone's position being threatened.
Embattled politician vows to fight allegations.
Pro Tip 3/3Under Severe Pressure
Implies intense scrutiny that may jeopardize a person's role or reputation.
The embattled director faced boardroom backlash.
Pro Tip 1/3Figurative Use
Often used metaphorically to describe someone facing a lot of criticism or trouble.
The embattled CEO faced a wave of public outrage.
Pro Tip 2/3Headline Friendly
Common in news articles to convey urgency about someone's position being threatened.
Embattled politician vows to fight allegations.
Pro Tip 3/3Under Severe Pressure
Implies intense scrutiny that may jeopardize a person's role or reputation.
The embattled director faced boardroom backlash.
Pro Tip 1/3Figurative Use
Often used metaphorically to describe someone facing a lot of criticism or trouble.
The embattled CEO faced a wave of public outrage.
Pro Tip 2/3Headline Friendly
Common in news articles to convey urgency about someone's position being threatened.
Embattled politician vows to fight allegations.
Pro Tip 3/3Under Severe Pressure
Implies intense scrutiny that may jeopardize a person's role or reputation.
The embattled director faced boardroom backlash.
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Quote examples
Bernadine Dohrn
American Educator
I think the Sixties in some ways is a barrier to young people today. They think of it, you know, what we're doing is not that. But it's partly the myth of the Sixties. It always felt embattled and small. It always, almost always, was a small group of people relative to the opposition around.
Quote examples
Tom Shales
American Writer
So it is that one side effect of the HD revolution has been the gratifying and edifying return of the nature documentary - films about the hugely varied forms of life that eat, sleep, stalk, mate, fight, thrive, suffer and struggle on our dear and embattled old Earth.
Quote examples
Ross Douthat
American Author
I try not to feel too embattled. I don't think that's a healthy approach for someone who writes for a newspaper like the New York Times to take. That means, in part, that I try and avoid wallowing in things that might make me feel too embattled.
Quote examples
Bill Bryson
American Writer
Science has been quite embattled. It's the most important thing there is. An arts graduate is not going to fix global warming. They may do other valuable things, but they are not going to fix the planet or cure cancer or get rid of malaria.
Quote examples
Paul Gillmor
American Politician
While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some of the victories throughout this embattled country.
Quote examples
Walter Kirn
American Novelist
Guns can turn you into an insider even if you're an outsider by nature, recruiting you into a loose fraternity of people who feel embattled and defensive and are primally eager to win allies.
Quote examples
Helene Deutsch
Austrian Psychologist
The embattled gates to equal rights indeed opened up for modern women, but I sometimes think to myself; that is not what I meant by freedom, it is only social progress.
Quote examples
Ehud Olmert
Israeli Politician
Emerging from embattled and humble beginnings, the Jewish state has exceeded all expectations for its success and prosperity.
Quote examples
Ariel Sharon
Israeli Leader
Israel, an embattled democracy, has been fighting terrorism for over 100 years.
Quote examples
Kayleigh McEnany
American Public Servant
My post-mastectomy life is not one embattled but emboldened.
Quote examples
Bernadine Dohrn
American Educator
I think the Sixties in some ways is a barrier to young people today. They think of it, you know, what we're doing is not that. But it's partly the myth of the Sixties. It always felt embattled and small. It always, almost always, was a small group of people relative to the opposition around.
Quote examples
Tom Shales
American Writer
So it is that one side effect of the HD revolution has been the gratifying and edifying return of the nature documentary - films about the hugely varied forms of life that eat, sleep, stalk, mate, fight, thrive, suffer and struggle on our dear and embattled old Earth.
Quote examples
Ross Douthat
American Author
I try not to feel too embattled. I don't think that's a healthy approach for someone who writes for a newspaper like the New York Times to take. That means, in part, that I try and avoid wallowing in things that might make me feel too embattled.
Quote examples
Bill Bryson
American Writer
Science has been quite embattled. It's the most important thing there is. An arts graduate is not going to fix global warming. They may do other valuable things, but they are not going to fix the planet or cure cancer or get rid of malaria.
Quote examples
Paul Gillmor
American Politician
While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some of the victories throughout this embattled country.
Quote examples
Walter Kirn
American Novelist
Guns can turn you into an insider even if you're an outsider by nature, recruiting you into a loose fraternity of people who feel embattled and defensive and are primally eager to win allies.
Quote examples
Helene Deutsch
Austrian Psychologist
The embattled gates to equal rights indeed opened up for modern women, but I sometimes think to myself; that is not what I meant by freedom, it is only social progress.
Quote examples
Ehud Olmert
Israeli Politician
Emerging from embattled and humble beginnings, the Jewish state has exceeded all expectations for its success and prosperity.
Quote examples
Ariel Sharon
Israeli Leader
Israel, an embattled democracy, has been fighting terrorism for over 100 years.
Quote examples
Kayleigh McEnany
American Public Servant
My post-mastectomy life is not one embattled but emboldened.
Example 1 of 10
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