fight 1 of 2

verb

ˈfīt How to pronounce fight (audio)
Definition of fightnext
1
as in to battle
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict a proud people who have fiercely fought all invaders of their homeland

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2
as in to oppose
to strive to reduce or eliminate a civil rights leader who dedicated his life to fighting prejudice

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3
as in to compete
to engage in a contest everyone on that street seems to be fighting to see who can create the gaudiest holiday lighting display

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4
as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily if you kids continue to fight, I'm turning this car around and we're heading back home!

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5
as in to resist
to refuse to give in to I tried to fight the temptation to eat another cookie—and lost

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fight

2 of 2

noun

1
as in battle
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups a troubled youth who got into one fight after another

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2
as in struggle
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective the mayoral candidate pledged to lead a successful fight to improve the city's schools

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3
as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel a tough, streetwise kid with a lot of fight in him

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4
as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions the couple have their share of fights, but they quickly get over them

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fight
Verb
Because of the heavy flames, crews initiated a defensive attack, or fighting the fire from the outside because a building is too dangerous to enter. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026 Battlefield 6, the 18th game and latest of the series, was released last year and was set about two years into the future and featured a splintered NATO as one of the sides fighting. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
Boston didn’t even put up much of a fight as the Bronx Bombers lived up to their name with homer after homer and solid pitching. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026 Sentencing fight Federal probation officials calculated Rivera’s advisory sentencing range at 262 to 327 months, driven largely by the money-laundering convictions and sentencing enhancements. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fight
  1. battle
  2. oppose
  3. compete
  4. bicker
  5. resist
  6. skirmish
  7. struggle
  8. aggression
Verb
  • Samuel, or Samuil in Bulgarian, was a warrior emperor who battled the Byzantine Empire to expand his kingdom but was ultimately defeated and died shortly afterward in 1014.
    — COSTAS KANTOURIS, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • In practice gear, the 46-year-old Haslem ran with Heat players and battled with Heat frontcourt players in one-on-one post-practice drills.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of battle
Verb
  • This was a leftism distinct from Marxism and later communism, but nonetheless opposed to the state, the capitalist class, and clericalism.
    — Ed Simon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Polling conducted by the Associated Press/NORC last year shows that more Americans oppose the current biannual clock change than those who support it—47% compared to just 12%.
    — Chantelle Lee, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of oppose
Verb
  • Travel retail is no longer a price-value proposition that competes just with the high street, but also with platforms such as Amazon, Rakuten and Tmall around the globe.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Colors are neutral and echo the surroundings rather than competing with them—stone-gray throw blankets and pillows, beige arm chairs, white walls–and artwork is at a minimum, maybe a tasteful landscape photograph in a simple black frame.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of compete
Verb
  • The two of them together, just 17 months apart, shared playlists, bickered over where to stop during Apple CarPlay calls, pulled up beside me and faded away with silly faces, encapsulating 20 years of my life in my rearview mirror.
    — Robert Duffer, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Like law enforcement agents everywhere, they’re disposed to bickering about jurisdiction or pumping each other for off-limits information.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of bicker
Verb
  • But resist the urge to throw every brightening ingredient at the problem.
    — Glamour, Glamour, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Attempts to coordinate the different agencies under a central authority to fight organized crime have failed in Congress, where professional associations representing those agencies have resisted anything that would reduce their power.
    — MATIAS SPEKTOR, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of resist
Noun
  • Ties between the two countries, which had deteriorated sharply following a deadly border skirmish in 2020, have been thawing for more than a year.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The duo walks away from this skirmish, though not unscathed, as Samjad quickly and economically sets up a blistering saga of stylish reprisals with no holds barred.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of skirmish
Noun
  • Both residents and politicians fear the court ruling would tarnish Kosovo's independence struggle.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Evidence at the crime scene led investigators to believe there had likely been a struggle between Feldman and her killer leading up her death, suggesting that Feldman had fought hard.
    — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of struggle
Noun
  • Saturday's vote came as the small republic on NATO’s eastern flank contends with growing concern about potential Russian aggression.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • For all their talent, the defining feature of London City Lionesses is their aggression without possession.
    — Michael Cox, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of aggression

Phrases Containing fight

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fig
fight
fighter
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Cite this Entry

“Fight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fight. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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