fight

verb

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\ ˈfīt

fought\ ˈfȯt

\; fighting

Definition of fight

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : to contend in battle or physical combat especially : to strive to overcome a person by blows or weapons The soldiers fought bravely.

b : to engage in boxing He will fight for the heavyweight title next month.

2 : to put forth a determined effort They were fighting to stay awake.

transitive verb

1a(1) : to contend against in or as if in battle or physical combat fought the invaders of his homeland was fighting a forest fire

(2) : to box against in the ring fought several strong contenders

b(1) : to attempt to prevent the success or effectiveness of the company fought the takeover attempt

(2) : to oppose the passage or development of fight a bill in Congress

2a : wage, carry on fight a battle

b : to take part in (a boxing match or similar contest)

3 : to struggle to endure or surmount fight a cold is fighting cancer

4a : to gain by struggle fights his way through

b : to resolve by struggle fought out their differences in court

5a : to manage (a ship) in a battle or storm

b : to cause to struggle or contend

c : to manage in an unnecessarily rough or awkward manner

fight shy of

: to avoid facing or meeting

fight

noun

Definition of fight (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a hostile encounter : battle, combat

b : a boxing match

c : a verbal disagreement : argument

2 : a struggle for a goal or an objective a fight for justice

3 : strength or disposition for fighting : pugnacity still full of fight

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about fight

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Examples of fight in a Sentence

Verb When he was young he was always fighting. He fought like a tiger. The U.S. and Germany fought in World Wars I and II. They vowed to fight the invaders of their homeland. The U.S. fought Germany in World Wars I and II. He and his wife are always fighting over money. We were fighting to protect our jobs. Noun A fight broke out in the bar. When he was young he was always getting into fights. He got into another fight with his wife about money. a fight for the heavyweight title

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Apples may also lower the risk of heart disease, fight cancer and increase bone density. — Angela Watson, chicagotribune.com, "Foods that boost the immune system," 27 Mar. 2021 And there is nobody else to fight with and point the finger at. — Bob Timmons, Star Tribune, "Duluth woman on her thru-hike of the Ice Age Trail in winter: 'Me being me'," 25 Mar. 2021 Firefighters went inside to fight the fire and search for anyone inside. — Chris Mayhew, The Enquirer, "Colerain Township apartment fire forces 23 people out of residence, firefighters said," 19 Mar. 2021 The major public relations firm Edelman pledged to fight climate change and never work with climate deniers. — Los Angeles Times, "The race is on to strike ‘white gold’ at California’s Salton Sea," 18 Mar. 2021 To finally love it instead of constantly fight with it and destroy it. — Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Five Black Utahns talk about artworks in ‘Black Refractions’ that hold personal meaning," 17 Mar. 2021 Participants who had meditated reported feeling less stress immediately after the interview, but their levels of cortisol—the fight-or-flight hormone—were significantly higher than those of the control group. — David Kortava, Harper's Magazine, "Lost in Thought," 16 Mar. 2021 Leonard arrived at his first title fight a little more than 2½ years and 26 bouts into his pro career. — Steve Marantz, BostonGlobe.com, "Marvin Hagler’s legendary career was truly marvelous, indeed," 14 Mar. 2021 State legislatures can also fight indoctrination and promote viewpoint diversity in schools without turning to censorship. — Samantha Harris, National Review, "Critical Race Theory Is Dangerous. Here’s How to Fight It," 13 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Police arrived at the scene of a fight on March 14 and found Ruiz lying in a pool of his own blood with multiple stab wounds on his body. — Andrew Mark Miller, Washington Examiner, "Illegal immigrant brothers arrested for allegedly stabbing a man to death," 1 Apr. 2021 Perhaps Miocic would be favored in that sort of fight. — Troy L. Smith, cleveland, "What’s next for Stipe Miocic?," 29 Mar. 2021 Equally stunning was the drive of MacIntyre, the 24-year-old from Scotland with plenty of spunk and loads of fight. — BostonGlobe.com, "Sergio Garcia’s walkoff ace highlights frenzied Match Play," 26 Mar. 2021 There’s no music during this scene, just the sounds of the fight. — Oliver Sava, Vulture, "Invincible Premiere Recap: Father Knows Best," 26 Mar. 2021 Isaiah took half of Bucky's metal arm in the midst of a fight in Goyang-si, South Korea. — Nick Romano, EW.com, "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier brings in Marvel's first Black Captain America: What this could mean for the MCU," 26 Mar. 2021 Black, feminist and Indigenous leaders have painstakingly cultivated resilience over the long arc of the fight for justice. — Sarah Jaquette Ray, Scientific American, "The Unbearable Whiteness of Climate Anxiety," 21 Mar. 2021 This is just the latest example of the fight against discrimination in the provision of health care in Minnesota. — Star Tribune, "Fight for fair provision of health services in Minnesota isn't over," 20 Mar. 2021 Although street protests have died down since last week, tensions remain, and the songs suggest that this is just the beginning of a fight. — Nellie Peyton, Quartz, "To understand the #FreeSenegal movement, look to its music," 15 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fight.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.