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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
San Francisco may be missing quite a few players, but the team has fought back to a 4-2 record. MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025 When the city tried to clear Union Point Park, the people who lived there united and fought back. NPR, 19 Oct. 2025 Advertisement Chicago residents are also fighting back with protests across the city, including regular demonstrations outside of an ICE facility in the suburb of Broadview. Rebecca Schneid, Time, 18 Oct. 2025 Week after week, his players were starting slow, fighting back, and falling short. Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 17 Oct. 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 21 Oct. 2025.

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