fighting word

noun

Definition of fighting word

: a word likely to provoke a fight

Examples of fighting word in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Perception becomes reality, so, to McMahon, those were fighting words. — Dan Gartland, SI.com, "The Week in Wrestling: The Latest on Neville’s Situation and the Bullet Club’s Feud With WWE," 18 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fighting word.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about fighting word

Dictionary Entries near fighting word

fighting/struggling for breath

fight like cat and dog

fight like cats and dogs

Statistics for fighting word

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for fighting word

The first known use of fighting word was in 1917

See more words from the same year

Comments on fighting word

What made you want to look up fighting word? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

WORD OF THE DAY

magniloquent

grandiloquent, ostentatious, or bombastic

Test Your Vocabulary

Original Meanings Quiz

Which of the following is the earliest known sense of the word awe?

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ

SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games