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battle it out

B1 informal intransitive
In simple words

To keep fighting or competing against each other until someone wins.

Literal meaning: To fight out a battle completely — the 'it' refers to the contest itself.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic informal

To compete fiercely against opponents in a contest, game, or rivalry until a winner is decided.

"The two tennis players battled it out for nearly four hours before a champion was crowned."

2 B1 idiomatic informal

To argue or negotiate intensely with another party until a resolution is reached.

"The two companies battled it out in court for three years before settling."

3 B2 idiomatic neutral

To struggle through a difficult situation or ordeal by persisting to the end.

"She battled it out through months of gruelling treatment and eventually recovered."

Usage notes

The phrase always uses the pronoun 'it' as a fixed element — you cannot say 'battle them out.' Common in sports journalism, politics, and general competitive contexts. Conveys a sense of prolonged or intense competition.

Commonly used with

rivals competitors finals championship court negotiating table

Forms

Base
battle it out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
battles it out
he/she/it
Past simple
battled it out
yesterday
Past participle
battled it out
have + pp
-ing form
battling it out
continuous

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