fighting 1 of 3

Definition of fightingnext

fighting

2 of 3

noun

fighting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of fight
1
2
3
as in competing
to engage in a contest everyone on that street seems to be fighting to see who can create the gaudiest holiday lighting display

Synonyms & Similar Words

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5

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fighting
Adjective
Speaking ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Johnson told the BBC that the troops should be sent to peaceful regions in non-fighting roles. ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026 But this story isn’t just for pro-fighting fans. Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Oct. 2025 Some had joined Ukrainian combat units as volunteers, while others have sought to assist the Ukrainian people in non-fighting capacities. Dan Lamothe, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023 But the computer model couldn’t distinguish fighting roosters from non-fighting roosters. Jeff Horwitz, WSJ, 17 Oct. 2021
Noun
Anti-gang units, officials say, form the backbone of the department’s crime fighting efforts in neighborhoods plagued by gang violence. Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026 The person confronted the two about fighting, and then ran inside an apartment to get Crosby and another person. Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026 The idea, rooted in the Taiji principle of Yin and Yang, is to make choreographed movement look genuinely reactive – the way real fighting looks. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 May 2026 More than 1 million people have been displaced from their homes by the fighting. CBS News, 8 May 2026 During the interwar years, several tacticians and historians became advocates for the new style of fighting that emphasized mobility, mechanization, and cohesive operations. Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026 Trust has to be earned through a Congress that is visibly, demonstrably not for sale and fighting for the people who sent them. Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026 Fans of the games should be thrilled with that, and there seems to have been an effort made to address complaints that the 2021 movie did not actually feature a fighting tournament. Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 7 May 2026 After nearly a decade of fighting, the mine shut down at the end of 2025, thanks to a legal victory in 2024 in Indonesia’s Supreme Court. NPR, 7 May 2026
Verb
After fighting valiantly to ward off injury, the horse was euthanized in 2007, his courageous battle forever remembered at Churchill Downs, where his statue stands outside of Gate 1. Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 9 May 2026 Moscow's troops have been fighting in Ukraine for well over four years - longer than the Soviet involvement, from 1941-45, in what Russians refer to as the Great Patriotic War. Guy Faulconbridge, USA Today, 9 May 2026 The first awareness of these viruses dates back to the 1950s, with disease in soldiers fighting in the Korean War. ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026 While the males are fighting, the female sneaks off to get some quick action behind enemy lines. Big Think, 8 May 2026 Jay, who describes herself as a constitutional conservative, said her clients are united with the surrogate and her husband in fighting against the attorney general’s case. Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026 After two school years of inaccurate vaccination data reporting to state agencies, Zion Elementary School District 6 has managed a remarkable turnaround, but is still fighting vaccine hesitancy among some district parents. Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026 The flip side • Bravo to Rachel in east Orange County/Chuluota for fighting against developers who want to turn beautiful cattle pastureland into 1,800 homes. Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026 These massive corporations are raising premiums, canceling coverage and fighting our claims every step of the way. Jane Kim, Oc Register, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fighting
Noun
  • Reports claimed that engines in this class are engineered to provide extreme acceleration, sustained supersonic flight capability, and high maneuverability during air combat operations.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
  • This event marked a significant turning point in the use of drones for combat operations and a significant step in the evolution of drone warfare.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • Video from the scene shows firefighters battling large flames and heavy smoke.
    Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 9 May 2026
  • Grant and Oklahoma freshman Kendall Wells have hit homers at a blistering pace and are battling to close the season with the NCAA home run title.
    Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • The two countries have backed opposing forces in Yemen and are competing economically.
    Camila Domonoske, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The legislation passed with broad bipartisan support in the Senate, but some Republicans rejected the bill, opposing earmarking millions more to maintain the fortified Capitol and equip it with the staff necessary to keep the screenings going.
    Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Second, colleges and conferences are competing businesses that use NCAA rules to limit how each can compete for college athletes’ services.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 May 2026
  • Ballard, who started two games in 2023 after arriving as a walk-on, and Marshall, a dual-threat who led his Michigan high school to a state championship, are stylistically different but close friends competing for the top job.
    Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • The two get to bickering about her terrible track record, with Dennis hilariously failing to realize that this accusation includes him among the questionable men.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
  • For those of us interested in governing and not bickering, this is a good thing.
    Gail Slater, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The man was later booked on suspicion of crimes that included corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant, robbery, resisting arrest, and drug possession after he was found with methamphetamine.
    Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
  • Finally, Teo says Ethereal’s success stems in part from sticking to early-stage startups and resisting the temptation to jump on bandwagons.
    Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • The terrorist group has been largely decapitated and is unable to wage meaningful counter-warfare against Israel and its allies, but is believed to still boast significant caches of weaponry that could threaten the long-term peace of the future Palestine.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 8 May 2026
  • The country’s ability to credibly threaten commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz actually hinges on multiple layers of cheap and unconventional warfare systems – drones, mines and a fleet of small attack boats, which are harder to detect than traditional naval assets.
    Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • The organization, whose core mission is combating political extremism, argues fiscal crises historically create the conditions for radical political actors to gain traction.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • As part of the settlement, Purdue itself would cease to exist and be replaced by a new company, Knoa Pharma, with a board appointed by the states and an aim of combating the opioid crisis.
    Geoff Mulvihill, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fighting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fighting. Accessed 10 May. 2026.

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