fight-or-flight

American  

[fahyt-er-flahyt] / ˈfaɪt ərˈflaɪt /

adjective

1. causing, caused by, or being the body's physiological response to stress, involving the release of epinephrine and effects such as increased heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration, in preparation for self-defense or escape.

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noun

1. the fight-or-flight response or a situation that elicits it.

fight-or-flight British  

noun

1. (modifier) involving or relating to an involuntary response to stress in which the hormone adrenaline is secreted into the blood in readiness for physical action, such as fighting or running away

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fight-or-flight

I froze and wondered if he sensed my fight-or-flight response.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

I started delaying telling friends and family my results until I’d fully come down from the fight-or-flight panic of testing week.

From Slate ● May 6, 2026

The researchers believe that the heightened fight-or-flight activity common in anxiety disorders may increase the brain's demand for choline, which could lower its available levels.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2025

The smoke wasn’t strong, but it was enough to send her into a fight-or-flight panic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025

Moss had always heard a lot about the fight-or-flight instinct, but he had never experienced it; his mind had always channeled fear into stillness.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro