infighting

American  

[in-fahy-ting] / ˈɪnˌfaɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. fighting at close range.

2. fighting between rivals, people closely associated, members of a group, etc.; internecine contention.

3. free-for-all fighting.

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infighting British  

/ ˈɪnˌfaɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. boxing combat at close quarters in which proper blows are inhibited and the fighters try to wear down each other's strength

2. intense competition, as between members of the same organization, esp when kept secret from outsiders

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Other Word Forms

• infighter noun

Etymology

Origin of infighting

First recorded in 1810–20; in- ¹ + fighting

Example Sentences

Despite the disagreements, some activists struck a more optimistic note about the party's ability to avoid damaging infighting.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

Yet Brother offered the setting for a creative reflowering — arguably the band’s final moment of unity before the start of years of more serious infighting.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

Can we really not just laugh this off as a fun show of infighting on the too-online right?

From Slate • Feb. 27, 2026

Still, he compared their rivalry to the type of familial infighting that is often ultimately resolved.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

But the infighting had taken such a nasty turn during the fever—thanks largely to Rush’s aggressive personality—that he was forced to defend himself on his own.

From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy

Related Words

• fighting
• rumble
• struggle