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 Knights trailed 14-0 at the half but fought back for the win when Noe Ruelas knocked in a 34-yard field goal with 57 seconds left.
—
Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
First, lawyers have been trying to fight back against ICE tactics.
—Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2025
So Moscow, naturally, has fought back with a massive drone-building program of its own.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025
Cathy Kuhlmeier, one of the student editors, decided to fight back, arguing that the principal’s decision met conditions for restraint of the press.
—Literary Hub, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fight back
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Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
First, lawyers have been trying to fight back against ICE tactics.
—Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2025
So Moscow, naturally, has fought back with a massive drone-building program of its own.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025
Cathy Kuhlmeier, one of the student editors, decided to fight back, arguing that the principal’s decision met conditions for restraint of the press.
—Literary Hub, 25 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 1 Dec. 2025.
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