fight fire with fire
idiom
: to fight against an opponent by using the same methods or weapons that the opponent uses
Examples of fight fire with fire in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Matt Abdo will fight fire with fire.
—
Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
City are clearly better equipped to fight fire with fire, but tired legs later on in games are threatening to undermine that progress.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
The debate is also over style and tone as some Democrats adopt the bombastic and self-assured persona of President Trump in order to fight fire with fire.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2026
And in some sense, fight fire with fire at this very intense way.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Faced with the ugliness of the world, Haram’s uncompromising response is to fight fire with fire.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 9 Dec. 2025
Those who showed up to the polls saw this either a way to snap back at Donald Trump or as a way to give Democrats the ability to fight fire with fire as the governor was arguing for.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 24 Nov. 2025
So estates and rights owners are starting to fight fire with fire.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
The California governor has pledged to fight fire with fire, proposing new temporary congressional maps.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 21 Aug. 2025
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Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
City are clearly better equipped to fight fire with fire, but tired legs later on in games are threatening to undermine that progress.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
The debate is also over style and tone as some Democrats adopt the bombastic and self-assured persona of President Trump in order to fight fire with fire.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2026
And in some sense, fight fire with fire at this very intense way.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Faced with the ugliness of the world, Haram’s uncompromising response is to fight fire with fire.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 9 Dec. 2025
Those who showed up to the polls saw this either a way to snap back at Donald Trump or as a way to give Democrats the ability to fight fire with fire as the governor was arguing for.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 24 Nov. 2025
So estates and rights owners are starting to fight fire with fire.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
The California governor has pledged to fight fire with fire, proposing new temporary congressional maps.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fight fire with fire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fight%20fire%20with%20fire. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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