fighter
Americannoun
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a boxer; pugilist.
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Military. an aircraft designed to seek out and destroy enemy aircraft in the air and to protect bomber aircraft.
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a person who fights, struggles, resists, etc.
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a person with the will, courage, determination, ability, or disposition to fight, struggle, resist, etc.
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an animal, as a dog, trained to fight or having the disposition to fight.
noun
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a person who fights, esp a professional boxer
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a person who has determination
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military an armed aircraft designed for destroying other aircraft
Other Word Forms
- nonfighter noun
Etymology
Origin of fighter
before 1000; Middle English; Old English fēohtere. See fight, -er 1
Explanation
Someone who battles or brawls with other people is a fighter. Some fighters, like boxers, do it professionally, while others just have a tendency to fight. If you have a habit of getting into scuffles or fistfights, you're a fighter, and when you watch a boxing match, you might pick one of the two fighters to root for. An animal might also be described as a fighter: lions are natural fighters, and a fish struggling hard on the end of a hook is a fighter. Other fighters work heroically for a belief or ideal: "She was a fighter in the struggle for civil rights."
Vocabulary lists containing fighter
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Germany said last month it is considering Boeing's Australian-developed Ghost Bat, designed to fly alongside a fighter jet and return to base, as it modernises its air force.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
Six US service members have also been killed there, while three US fighter jets have been mistakenly shot down by Kuwait's air defences.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
Despite their fears, his parents still hope to see Masie Nchama again -- a fighter he is said to have relieved at the front has confirmed he is still alive.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
Standing 6ft 5in, the Russian-born, Canada-based fighter - known as 'The Lion' - has secured 21 wins in 23 fights, including 19 by knockout, and arrives in London with a reputation as a heavy puncher.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
The Pe-2’s machine guns often jammed, and their bullets weren’t always strong enough to penetrate the armor of Luftwaffe fighter aircraft.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
