fight

\ ˈfīt

How to pronounce fight (audio)

\

fought\ ˈfȯt

How to pronounce fought (audio)

\; fighting

Definition of fight

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : to contend in battle or physical combat especially : to strive to overcome a person by blows or weapons The soldiers fought bravely.

b : to engage in boxing He will fight for the heavyweight title next month.

2 : to put forth a determined effort They were fighting to stay awake.

transitive verb

1a(1) : to contend against in or as if in battle or physical combat fought the invaders of his homeland was fighting a forest fire

(2) : to box against in the ring fought several strong contenders

b(1) : to attempt to prevent the success or effectiveness of the company fought the takeover attempt

(2) : to oppose the passage or development of fight a bill in Congress

2a : wage, carry on fight a battle

b : to take part in (a boxing match or similar contest)

3 : to struggle to endure or surmount fight a cold is fighting cancer

4a : to gain by struggle fights his way through

b : to resolve by struggle fought out their differences in court

5a : to manage (a ship) in a battle or storm

b : to cause to struggle or contend

c : to manage in an unnecessarily rough or awkward manner

fight shy of

: to avoid facing or meeting

fight

Definition of fight (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a hostile encounter : battle, combat

b : a boxing match

c : a verbal disagreement : argument

2 : a struggle for a goal or an objective a fight for justice

3 : strength or disposition for fighting : pugnacity still full of fight

Other Words from fight Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about fight

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Examples of fight in a Sentence

Verb When he was young he was always fighting. He fought like a tiger. The U.S. and Germany fought in World Wars I and II. They vowed to fight the invaders of their homeland. The U.S. fought Germany in World Wars I and II. He and his wife are always fighting over money. We were fighting to protect our jobs. Noun A fight broke out in the bar. When he was young he was always getting into fights. He got into another fight with his wife about money. a fight for the heavyweight title

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb In other words, Trump, in pushing Zelensky to investigate the Bidens, was not fighting corruption but encouraging it. — Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, "Jim Jordan Tries to Recast Trump as the Hero of the Ukraine Scandal," 14 Nov. 2019 Erdogan sees Kurdish forces in Syria as an extension of a separatist Kurdish group that’s been fighting inside Turkey since the 1980s. — Washington Post, "Trump, Erdogan to meet as thorny issues stress relations," 13 Nov. 2019 On his suit jacket, Newland wore a Purple Heart, awarded for service when he was wounded while in the U.S. Army fighting in Iraq. — oregonlive, "Strangers answer the call to honor 2 Oregon veterans with no family to claim them," 13 Nov. 2019 The Taliban have long demanded the release of Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Sirajuddin, the deputy head of the Taliban and leader of the Haqqani network, often considered the strongest of the Taliban factions fighting in Afghanistan. — Rahim Faiez, chicagotribune.com, "3 Taliban figures released in effort to free American and Australian teachers abducted in 2016," 12 Nov. 2019 Then, her pet rat, Queen, fights off the nutcracker and later, Princess Clara and Queen head for the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy to free the slaves who were kidnapped from around the world. — Sharina Taveras Lopez, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "South Carroll: Kiwanis Club hosting Pancake Breakfast; ‘Nutcracker Princess’ coming to Eldersburg library," 12 Nov. 2019 Investigators have not said why the two were fighting. — Evan Macdonald, cleveland, "Cleveland woman accused of fatally shooting child’s father during domestic incident, records say," 12 Nov. 2019 The attack sparked an hours-long exchange of rocket fire from Gaza and further airstrikes, the worst bout of fighting there in recent months. — Anchorage Daily News, "Israel kills Islamic Jihad leader, setting off fierce clash in Gaza," 12 Nov. 2019 As a klezmer band fought to be heard over the crowd’s excited chatter, my friend the designer Susan Korn showed her spring Susan Alexandra collection amid hundreds of pink and white balloons and sparkly fuchsia streamers. — Naomi Fry, Vogue, "Why the Fashion World Can’t Get Enough of Euphoria Makeup," 12 Nov. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Family continues fight with Beaumont Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com. — Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, "U.S. Attorney: Beaumont must provide interpreters for deaf patients," 13 Nov. 2019 He was involved in a fight on Oct. 29, with another inmate. — Mario Ariza, sun-sentinel.com, "Kodak Black sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison," 13 Nov. 2019 His recent on-air fight with longtime news anchor Shepard Smith in September was the final straw in Smith’s decision to leave the network after more than 20 years. — Sarah Ellison, Washington Post, "‘Impeachment is not only dumb, it’s boring.’ Fox News host Tucker Carlson is covering impeachment by loudly ignoring it.," 12 Nov. 2019 An arrest warrant alleges that on Oct. 31, Alexis was strangled by her roommate’s boyfriend Barron Brantley, 21, after getting into a fight with her roommate, Jordyn Jones, in their off-campus apartment, WSBTV reports. — Harriet Sokmensuer, PEOPLE.com, "Student Accused Roommate's Boyfriend of Sex Assault, Was Allegedly Strangled by Him Days Later," 12 Nov. 2019 Andrew Adams, one of two Clark County Circuit Court judges shot on May 1, 2019, in Indianapolis has accepted a plea deal for his role in the fight with two other men. — Crystal Hill, Indianapolis Star, "'They discredited the entire Indiana judiciary': Judges in White Castle fight suspended," 12 Nov. 2019 Troopers wrote in a dispatch that 26-year-old Evan Waskey died in Crooked Creek after a fight with 30-year-old Ronald Waskey. — Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, "Man facing murder charge after deadly fight in Western Alaska," 11 Nov. 2019 One of the show’s stars, Monique Samuels, has reportedly been charged with second-degree assault after allegedely getting into a fight with co-star Candiace Dillard. — Paula Rogo, Essence, "'Real Housewives Of Potomac's' Monique Samuels Charged with Assault After Alleged Fight with Candiace Dillard," 10 Nov. 2019 The bigger deal was getting stuck in a fight with a team that never should have given the Buckeyes that kind of trouble. — Doug Lesmerises, cleveland, "Ohio State football’s last low point came against Maryland a season ago," 7 Nov. 2019

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

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More Definitions for fight

fight

verb

English Language Learners Definition of fight

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to use weapons or physical force to try to hurt someone, to defeat an enemy, etc. : to struggle in battle or physical combat

: to be involved in (a battle, struggle, etc.)

: to argue in an angry way

fight

noun

English Language Learners Definition of fight (Entry 2 of 2)

: a violent physical struggle between opponents

: an argument or quarrel

: a boxing match

See the full definition for fight in the English Language Learners Dictionary

fight

\ ˈfīt

\

fought\ ˈfȯt \; fighting

Kids Definition of fight

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to struggle in battle or in physical combat

2 : to argue angrily : quarrel

3 : to try hard She fought to stay awake.

4 : to struggle against fight discrimination

fight

Kids Definition of fight (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a meeting in battle or in physical combat

2 : quarrel entry 1 sense 1

3 : strength or desire for fighting After being wrongly blamed, I was full of fight.

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