fight back

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 recipient’s crocodile may activate in response, leading them to fight back or comply out of self‑protection. — Hylke Faber, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

But then about 30 years ago, Yellowstone National Park officials, working with commercial fishermen, fought back with gillnets and science. — Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 23 Sep. 2026

Officials said another woman fought back during an attack and scratched Davis, leaving DNA beneath her fingernails. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Working to fight back the tears The calls, text and social media messages have come nonstop since about an hour after the accident, said Chapman University lecturer Peter Weitzner, who served as an advisor and teacher to Moreno in several classes. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for fight back

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