fight

[ fahyt ]

/ faɪt /

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See synonyms for: fight / fighting / fought on Thesaurus.com

noun

a battle or combat.

any contest or struggle: a fight for recovery from an illness.

an angry argument or disagreement: Whenever we discuss politics, we end up in a fight.

Boxing. a bout or contest.

a game or diversion in which the participants hit or pelt each other with something harmless: a pillow fight; a water fight.

ability, will, or inclination to fight: There was no fight left in him.

verb (used without object), fought, fight·ing.

to engage in battle or in single combat; attempt to defend oneself against or to subdue, defeat, or destroy an adversary.

to contend in any manner; strive vigorously for or against something: He fought bravely against despair.

verb (used with object), fought, fight·ing.

to contend with in battle or combat; war against: England fought Germany.

to contend with or against in any manner: to fight despair; to fight the passage of a bill.

to carry on (a battle, duel, etc.).

to maintain (a cause, quarrel, etc.) by fighting or contending.

to make (one's way) by fighting or striving.

to cause or set (a boxer, animal, etc.) to fight.

to manage or maneuver (troops, ships, guns, planes, etc.) in battle.

OTHER WORDS FOR fight

1, 2 encounter, engagement, affray, fray, action, skirmish, melee; scuffle, tussle, row, riot.

See synonyms for fight on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about fight

fight it out, to fight until a decision is reached: Let them fight it out among themselves.

fight shy of. shy¹ (def. 12).

fight with windmills. tilt¹ (def. 18).

Origin of fight

before 900; (v.) Middle English fi(g)hten,Old English fe(o)htan (cognate with German fechten); (noun) Middle English fi(g)ht,Old English feohte, (ge)feoht, derivative of the v. base

synonym study for fight

1, 2. Fight, combat, conflict, contest denote a struggle of some kind. Fight connotes a hand-to-hand struggle for supremacy, literally or in a figurative sense. Combat suggests an armed encounter, as in war. Conflict implies a bodily, mental, or moral struggle caused by opposing views, beliefs, etc. Contest applies to either a friendly or a hostile struggle for a definite prize or aim.

OTHER WORDS FROM fight

fight·a·ble, adjectivefight·a·bil·i·ty, nounfight·ing·ly, adverboutfight, verb (used with object), out·fought, out·fight·ing.

pre·fight, adjectivere·fight, verb, re·fought, re·fight·ing.un·fight·a·ble, adjective

Words nearby fight

Figaro, fig-bird, figeater, figger, figgy, fight, fight back, fighter, fighter-bomber, fighter-interceptor, fighter pilot

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT FIGHT

What is a basic definition of fight?

A fight is a battle, contest, struggle, argument, or any clash that involves at least two opposing sides. Fight is also to engage in combat or to struggle with something. Fight has several other senses as a noun and a verb.

The most common type of fight is a physical struggle between two or more people (and/or animals) that involves violence. If two men are punching and kicking each other, they are in a fight or having a fight. Fight is also used more generally to refer to any struggle, argument, or contest in which two or more sides are battling against each other, literally or figuratively.

Real-life examples: Rowdy soccer fans sometimes have fights. Couples and families sometimes have fights, meaning arguments, when they disagree with each other. A person who is in a fight with cancer is trying to beat it by surviving the disease.
Used in a sentence: Luanne is still sulking after our fight over who the best James Bond is.

As a verb, fight means to engage in a battle or physical combat. This sense can also refer to wars between countries. The past tense of fight is fought. A person who is involved in a fight is called a fighter.

Real-life examples: People who hate each other often want to fight and harm each other. Two dogs that both want the same territory will fight and try to bite each other. The United States fought Spain during the Spanish American War.
Used in a sentence: The man was punched in the face as he tried to fight his hated enemy.

Fight is used also figuratively to mean to struggle against anything.

Real-life examples: Farmers often fight insects and bad weather. The police fight crime. People fight boredom by watching television or spending time with friends.
Used in a sentence: The government tried to fight poverty by lowering taxes and providing more welfare programs.

Where does fight come from?

The first records of fight come from before the 900s. It ultimately comes from the Old English word fe(o)htan. It is related to the German fechten.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to fight?

fighter (noun)
fighting (noun, adjective)
fightable (adjective)
fightability (noun)
outfight (verb)

What are some synonyms for fight?

What are some words that share a root or word element with fight?

What are some words that often get used in discussing fight?

How is fight used in real life?

Fight is a very common word that often refers to battles, both real and figurative.

Just got in a big fight with my mom and didn’t cry, I’m getting powerful 😳🤚🏽🔥🙈

— Sarah A (@saraahaljurdi) December 5, 2020

I broke up a fight between some Ole Miss and Auburn sorority girls at Little Italy last night and I’ve never felt more powerful

— dunc city (@whduncan) October 8, 2017

I'm about to start a fight with my iPhone only because it says it's Wednesday and that has to be a lie right

— Jessica Kleinschmidt (@KleinschmidtJD) March 25, 2020

Try using fight!

Is fight used correctly in the following sentence?

Both men looked ready for a fight, preparing to hurt each other as much as possible.

How to use fight in a sentence

The shift toward culture fights driven by conservative media has real implications for the evolution and expectations of that group of Americans, including an erosion in the democratic system the GOP was built to leverage.
What happens to an entrenched two-party system when one party undermines the system?|Philip Bump|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
By the time the fight finishes, Irene has backed out of the elevator, staring.
What floor?|Sophia Nguyen|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
That's one possible explanation for why so many species have evolved various defensive structures to protect them from damage during a fight.
Caged heat: Mesquite bugs battle in a plastic cup—for science!|Jennifer Ouellette|February 11, 2021|Ars Technica
With the Washington Wizards back at Capital One Arena for the first time in a week Wednesday, one of the things Coach Scott Brooks hoped his team would carry from its up-and-down trip was the importance of fight.
The Wizards’ defense again lets them down in loss at home to Raptors|Ava Wallace|February 11, 2021|Washington Post

In the nation’s capital, teachers and students returned to school buildings last week after a drawn-out fight over how and when classrooms would reopen.
Chicago reaches deal with teachers to reopen school buildings|Moriah Balingit|February 10, 2021|Washington Post
Gay marriage was the hot-button fight on the left and right.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Iraq may have been an irregular fight, but it had major moments.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The U.S. military is finally starting to train Iraqi troops to fight ISIS in restive Anbar province.
Pentagon Insider on New Plan to Fight ISIS: ‘Of Course It’s Not Enough’|Nancy A. Youssef|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
She says she will have to fight in “other ways” to get her client freed.
Amal Clooney vs. Egypt’s Courts|Christopher Dickey|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Starting in the 1970s, then MPAA president Jack Valenti began what was to become a decades-long fight against the quota system.
Propaganda, Protest, and Poisonous Vipers: The Cinema War in Korea|Rich Goldstein|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was more like the boarding of a ship than any land fight I had ever seen or imagined.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
The fight lasted two days, and only two men out of the five hundred escaped with their lives.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
But they soon fell out, for Murat had the audacity to try and make these patriots fight instead of merely seeking plunder.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
It was found afterwards that the rebels meant to fight the two British forces in detail before they could effect a junction.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Ike had read the "Herald," with all about "the great prize fight" in it, and had become entirely carried away with it.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various

British Dictionary definitions for fight

fight

/ (faɪt) /

verb fights, fighting or fought

to oppose or struggle against (an enemy) in battle

to oppose or struggle against (a person, thing, cause, etc) in any manner

(tr) to engage in or carry on (a battle, contest, etc)

(when intr often foll by for) to uphold or maintain (a cause, ideal, etc) by fighting or strugglingto fight for freedom

(tr) to make or achieve (a way) by fighting

(intr) boxing

to box, as for a living
to use aggressive rough tactics

to engage (another or others) in combat

fight it out to contend or struggle until a decisive result is obtained

fight shy of to keep aloof from

noun

a battle, struggle, or physical combat

a quarrel, dispute, or contest

resistance (esp in the phrase to put up a fight)

the desire to take part in physical combat (esp in the phrase to show fight)

a boxing match

Derived forms of fight

fighting, noun, adjective

Word Origin for fight

Old English feohtan; related to Old Frisian fiuchta, Old Saxon, Old High German fehtan to fight

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with fight

fight

In addition to the idioms beginning with fight

fight fire with fire
fighting chance
fighting words
fight it out
fight off
fight shy of
fight tooth and nail

also see:

can't fight city hall

fight

OTHER WORDS FOR fight

Idioms about fight

Origin of fight

synonym study for fight

OTHER WORDS FROM fight

Words nearby fight

MORE ABOUT FIGHT

What is a basic definition of fight?

Where does fight come from?

Did you know … ?

How is fight used in real life?

Try using fight!

Words related to fight

How to use fight in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fight

Derived forms of fight

Word Origin for fight

Other Idioms and Phrases with fight