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

No one needs to stoically, passively wait for whatever life might add or subtract, surrendering free will to fate without fighting back. —Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 24 Feb. 2026

And European countries are increasingly divided about whether, or how, to help Ukraine fight back. —Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 24 Feb. 2026

The Grizzlies fought back to take the lead early in the third quarter, but the Kings answered with an 18-6 rally to build the game's first double-digit lead midway through the period. —CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026

In the fifth, MacIver fought back from an 0-2 count, fouling off a pair of pitches before working his way to a walk before Jonah Bride’s two-out bases-loaded double cleared the bases. —Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 22 Feb. 2026

Rhymes for fight back

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback