embattled
Syllables: em·bat·tledUK/ɛmˈbætl̩d//ɛmˈbæt(ə)ld/
embattled adjective: armed or prepared for battle (literally or figuratively). Also the simple past and past participle of embattle.
Adjective (1)
embattled (comparative more embattled, superlative most embattled)
- Armed or prepared for battle (literally or figuratively).
- If you knevv hovv ſtrong and full of ſtratagems the diuel vvere, vvith hovve many Legions of luſtfull deſires he commeth embattailed againſt you: vvhat ſecrete ambuſhes of temptations he hath layde to intrappe you, then vvoulde you gather your ſelues into one bodie to reſiſt him: […]1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 8, verso
- O Prince, O Chief of many Throned Powers, / That led th' imbattelld Seraphim to Warr / Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds / Fearleſs, endanger'd Heav'ns perpetual King; […]1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
- Of a place: occupied or surrounded by armed troops (also figuratively).
- The Element euery night vvas embattailed vvith Armed men, skyrmiſhing and conflicting amongſt themeſlues; and the imperiall Eagles of Rome, vvere plainly there diſplayed to all mens ſight.1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 28, recto
- Of a place: strengthened so as to withstand attacks; fortified.
- [N]o ſubject can build a caſtle, or houſe of ſtrength imbatteled, or other fortreſs defenſible, vvithout the licence of the king; for the danger vvhich might enſue, if every man at his pleaſure might do it.1765, William Blackstone, “Of the King’s Prerogative”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book I (Of the Rights of Persons), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 255
- Subject to or troubled by attacks, controversy, or pressure.
- Now finding herself under rapid and accurate fire from the Alabama and Washington, Nagato is embattled, whilst Yamato has to switch to partially engage Iowa.2021 May 5, Drachinifel [pseudonym], 31:57 from the start, in Battle of Samar – What if TF34 [Task Force 34] was There?, via YouTube, archived from the original on 08 Aug 2022
- Synonyms:
- assailed, threatened
Adjective (2)
embattled (comparative more embattled, superlative most embattled)
- Of a fortress or other building, a wall, etc.: having battlements or crenellations; battlemented, crenellated.
- The lofty towers of the Castle overhang the western approach to the Bridge, and the line passes into Conway through an opening pierced in the embattled wall, which entirely surrounds the town. These fortifications are in good preservation, and rank among the most perfect examples of the strongholds...1850, Edwin Clark, “The Masonry and Scaffolding”, in The Britannia and Conway Tubular Bridges. […], volume II, London: […] Day and Son, […]; and John Weale, […], →OCLC, section VI (Details of...
- Having an upper edge or outline of alternating square indentations and extensions like battlements, unless the embattled item is a pale, cross or saltire, in which case it has the crenelations on all sides.
- Argent, a Feſs embattled and tvvo Eſtoils in Chief, Sable, is born by the Name of Tvvyne, and vvas atteſted to belong (and vvas confirm'd) to Tvvyne of Preſton in the County of Lancaſter, Eſquire, […]1724, John Guillim, chapter II, in A Display of Heraldry. […], 6th edition, London: […] T. W. for R. and J. Bonwicke and R. Wilkin, […] [a]nd J. Walthoe and Tho[mas] Ward, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Honor...
- All theſe bearings have different Epithets, ſerving either to expreſs their Poſition, Diſpoſition, or Make, viz. […] Tovvers covered, embattled, &c. […]1765, Mark Anthony Porny [pseudonym; Antoine Pyron du Martre], “Of Common Charges Born in Coats-of-arms. Article II. Of Artificial Figures Born in Coats-of-arms.”, in The Elements of Heraldry, […]...
- Synonyms:
- crénelé
Also used as
embattled is also the simple past and past participle of embattle.
Examples of embattled in a sentence
- [T]he imperial city stood released / From bondage threatened by the embattled East, […]1816 February 4 (date written), William Wordsworth, “[Miscellaneous Pieces, […].] Sonnet [February 1816].”, in Thanksgiving Ode, January...
- [Christoph] Meiners has gone so far as to suppose a real confederacy to have been formed […] to overthrow, by means of this controversy, the embattled legions of ignorance.1837–1839, Henry Hallam, “On the Literature of Europe from 1500 to 1520”, in Introduction to the Literature of Europe, in the Fifteenth...
- The lofty towers of the Castle overhang the western approach to the Bridge, and the line passes into Conway through an opening pierced in the embattled wall, which entirely surrounds the town.1850, Edwin Clark, “The Masonry and Scaffolding”, in The Britannia and Conway Tubular Bridges. […], volume II, London: […] Day and Son...
- Later heralds have added three more: Invecked (the exact converse of Engrailed), Nebulée, and Embattled.1852, J[ames] R[obinson] Planché, “Subordinate Ordinaries”, in The Pursuivant of Arms, or Heraldry Founded upon Facts, London: W. N....
Synonyms of embattled
Forms of embattled
| comparative | more embattled |
|---|---|
| superlative | most embattled |
Origin of embattled
From embattle (“to equip as for battle”) + -ed.
From embattle (“to furnish with battlements”) + -ed.
Words formed from embattled
Questions about embattled
- What does embattled mean?
- Embattled means armed or prepared for battle (literally or figuratively).
- How do you use embattled in a sentence?
- [T]he imperial city stood released / From bondage threatened by the embattled East, […]
- What part of speech is embattled?
- Embattled is an adjective.
- How do you pronounce embattled?
- Embattled is pronounced /ɛmˈbætl̩d/ (UK).
Words near embattled in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: embattled (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-us-embattled.ogg.
Cite this entry: “embattled.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/embattled. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.