infighting

[ in-fahy-ting ]

/ ˈɪnˌfaɪ tɪŋ /

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noun

fighting at close range.

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

free-for-all fighting.

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Origin of infighting

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

OTHER WORDS FROM infighting

infighter, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use infighting in a sentence

First, one fights with another, then they make an alliance, then they go back to fighting each other.
Mexico’s Priests Are Marked for Murder|Jason McGahan|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Part of the problem is the mandate of the war and the means with which the U.S. is fighting it do not match up.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This is a guy who has his son-in-law clean his eyeglasses, for crying out loud.
Will Chris Christie Regret His Cowboy Hug?|Matt Lewis|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Her travel clique has been known to arrive at an airport, bags packed, passport-in-hand, within hours of spotting a deal.
‘We Out Here’: Inside the New Black Travel Movement|Charlise Ferguson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST

He said it was okay, that he had been busy too… busy fighting serious intestinal problems.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
There was no fighting; a rifle shot now and then from the crests where we saw our fellows clearly.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
He thought they were now in touch with our troops at "X" but that they had been through some hard fighting to get there.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
He has been ashore at Kum Kale and reports violent fighting and, for the time being, victory.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
They held the compound against repeated assaults, and lost several men in hand-to-hand fighting.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
A hundred more had been taken during the night fighting, but there was treachery and some of those were killed.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton

British Dictionary definitions for infighting

infighting

/ (ˈɪnˌfaɪtɪŋ) /

noun

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

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

Derived forms of infighting

infighter, noun

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

infighting

Origin of infighting

OTHER WORDS FROM infighting

Words related to infighting

How to use infighting in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for infighting

Derived forms of infighting