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
Amid a White House pressure campaign to redraw congressional district lines, Democrats in Indiana are vowing to fight back.
—
Indianapolis Star, IndyStar, 7 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Advertisement But state attorneys general have the power to fight back.
—Andrea Campbell, Time, 6 Aug. 2025
After Rhodes planted Cena on a steel step, Cena fought back.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Others fought back against the controversy, saying critics were reading too much into the campaign’s message.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fight back
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Indianapolis Star, IndyStar, 7 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Advertisement But state attorneys general have the power to fight back.
—Andrea Campbell, Time, 6 Aug. 2025
After Rhodes planted Cena on a steel step, Cena fought back.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Others fought back against the controversy, saying critics were reading too much into the campaign’s message.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 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 19 Aug. 2025.
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