fight back
phrasal verb
fought back; fighting back; fights back
1
: to attack or try to defeat someone who is attacking or trying to defeat oneself
We can't just let them make these accusations against us. We need to fight back!
2
: to make a new effort against an opponent
They fell behind early in the game, but they were able to fight back and tie the score in the second half.
Examples of fight back in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Rams had fought back from 13 points down to force overtime on a Josh Karty field goal with two seconds left in regulation.
—
Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
In the middle of the deep intimacy of his speech, during which Big Boi lovingly pulled fur from his fluffy coat out out of André’s beard, the flute-playing OutKast member fought back tears while referencing fellow 2025 inductee Jack White.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2025
The Crusaders fought back to trail, 18-17, but Eva Bridget’s two kills down the stretch fueled the Griffins to the final seven points of the set.
—Tim Meehan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
Anti-Trump activists are deploying an array of tactics to fight back against the policies of the President and his Administration — protests, marches, events, advocacy campaigns, social media videos.
—Time, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fight back
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Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
In the middle of the deep intimacy of his speech, during which Big Boi lovingly pulled fur from his fluffy coat out out of André’s beard, the flute-playing OutKast member fought back tears while referencing fellow 2025 inductee Jack White.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2025
The Crusaders fought back to trail, 18-17, but Eva Bridget’s two kills down the stretch fueled the Griffins to the final seven points of the set.
—Tim Meehan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
Anti-Trump activists are deploying an array of tactics to fight back against the policies of the President and his Administration — protests, marches, events, advocacy campaigns, social media videos.
—Time, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fight back
Cite this Entry
“Fight back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fight%20back. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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