running battles
Ongoing mobile conflicts
Running battles are prolonged confrontations consisting of repeated clashes rather than a single engagement.
The phrase suggests mobility—combatants who fight, break apart, and engage again across changing locations or over extended time: Police and protesters fought running battles through the city center.
The term applies equally to military skirmishes and ongoing disputes: The department heads have been fighting running battles over the budget for months.
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- struggleLabored effort against resistance
- skirmishBrief, limited combat
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
- pursuitAct of chasing something
dispute · conflicts · engagement · evasion · tactical retreat · firefight · gang warfare · turf war · hostilities · flanking · sporadic · retreat · hit-and-run · hit and run · altercation · guerrilla · maneuver · fray
running battlessiege
Encirclement forcing surrender
trench warfare · siege warfare · blockade · standoff · pitched battle
running battlesdecisive battle
Conflict resolving the war
knockout blow · final confrontation · rout · final battle · blitzkrieg
running battlesceasefire
Agreed halt to fighting
truce · peace · armistice · peace treaty · peaceful coexistence
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