fight fire with fire

Idioms  

1. Combat an evil or negative circumstances by reacting in kind. For example, When the opposition began a smear campaign, we decided to fight fire with fire. Although ancient writers from Plato to Erasmus cautioned that one should not add fire to fire, this warning is not incorporated in the idiom, which was first recorded in Shakespeare's Coriolanus.

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Example Sentences

To counter such misuse, he says, authorities will need to fight fire with fire, developing AI models that detect crime by auditing users’ tax returns, for example.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

It’s necessary to fight fire with fire — and in this case, that means fighting performance with performance.

From Salon • Oct. 16, 2025

And he’s betting the house on his deep-blue state’s willingness to fight fire with fire.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 17, 2025

You have to be able to fight fire with fire.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 16, 2024

"If we attempt to silence this talk, we only lend it credence. Better to treat it with contempt, like the pathetic lie it is. And meantime, fight fire with fire."

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin