Synonyms

fighting chance

American

noun

a possibility of success following a struggle.

fighting chance British

noun

a slight chance of success dependent on a struggle

"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

fighting chance Idioms

A possibility of winning, but only with a struggle. For example, It's going to be hard to beat that record, but I think he has a fighting chance. [Late 1800s]

Etymology

Origin of fighting chance

First recorded in 1885–90

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.

But if there's one man who stands a fighting chance of making it happen...

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

None of these are guaranteed to work but they will give you a fighting chance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

Maresca's men, back in the Champions League after two years away, have now won three of their first five games to give themselves a fighting chance of finishing in the top eight.

From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025

The hope is the snake’s new, higher profile in California can give it a fighting chance at avoiding extinction.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2025

Might as well give the guy a fighting chance on this third pitch.

From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023