1
as in combating
to oppose (someone) in physical conflict
a proud people who have fiercely fought all invaders of their homeland
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opposing
to strive to reduce or eliminate
a civil rights leader who dedicated his life to fighting prejudice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
4
as in bickering
to express different opinions about something often angrily
if you kids continue to fight, I'm turning this car around and we're heading back home!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in resisting
to refuse to give in to
I tried to fight the temptation to eat another cookie—and lost
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in battling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in combat
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
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
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 17 Oct. 2025
But then this July, after years of fighting, Marshall, Kenyon, their attorneys and Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador were able to get the Supreme Court to hear their case.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Its goal shouldn’t be a pause in fighting but a long-term peace — one that leads to normalized relations with the rest of the region and begins to reverse its deepening global isolation.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has yet to declare the war officially over and has avoided the issue of a potential resumption of fighting.
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
In pre-war estimates, the PIJ’s fighting force was counted in the thousands, whereas Hamas was thought to have tens of thousands.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Why waste your time and energy fighting battles that don’t move you forward?
—Evy Poumpouras, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2025
If accepted, fighting would stop immediately, Israeli forces would pull back, and hostages would be exchanged for prisoners within 72 hours.
—Cameron Schoppa, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
Alhag, Cox and Khadmallah spoke to THR during the LFF about making Khartoum despite all the fighting, displacement and other challenges, and their hope to help people outside Sudan understand and heal through filmmaking.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025
Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2025
Whispers of bad blood between Brandy and Monica circulated after the song hit airwaves, fueling speculation with its narrative about them fighting over a boy.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
May Protect Your Liver Echinacea may protect your liver by reducing inflammation, fighting harmful substances, and supporting healthy cells.
—Brandi Jones, Health, 19 Oct. 2025
Katy Puig vomited a gush of seawater as a boater hoisted her unconscious body out of the water, fighting the current to get her to a yacht that had come to the rescue before first responders arrived in a flotilla.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
One of the nine children who met Perry was Florrie Bark, a 9-year-old whose charity, Bemorefab, raises funds to support children fighting cancer like herself.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
And after all, Republicans in Congress are currently fighting Democrats over extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies.
—David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
Yet Britain failed to capitalize on the success, underestimating the American ability to regroup and continue fighting.
—JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Tesla is still fighting a false advertising lawsuit from California's DMV.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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
Adjective
Trump also offered an olive branch to Iran, suggested intervening in fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the US may facilitate a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 17 Oct. 2025
But then this July, after years of fighting, Marshall, Kenyon, their attorneys and Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador were able to get the Supreme Court to hear their case.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Its goal shouldn’t be a pause in fighting but a long-term peace — one that leads to normalized relations with the rest of the region and begins to reverse its deepening global isolation.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has yet to declare the war officially over and has avoided the issue of a potential resumption of fighting.
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
In pre-war estimates, the PIJ’s fighting force was counted in the thousands, whereas Hamas was thought to have tens of thousands.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Why waste your time and energy fighting battles that don’t move you forward?
—Evy Poumpouras, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2025
If accepted, fighting would stop immediately, Israeli forces would pull back, and hostages would be exchanged for prisoners within 72 hours.
—Cameron Schoppa, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
Alhag, Cox and Khadmallah spoke to THR during the LFF about making Khartoum despite all the fighting, displacement and other challenges, and their hope to help people outside Sudan understand and heal through filmmaking.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
Season-long struggles; still fighting Charlotte has five games left on the schedule, starting with North Texas (6-1, 2-1 American) next Friday night on ESPN2.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2025
Whispers of bad blood between Brandy and Monica circulated after the song hit airwaves, fueling speculation with its narrative about them fighting over a boy.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
May Protect Your Liver Echinacea may protect your liver by reducing inflammation, fighting harmful substances, and supporting healthy cells.
—Brandi Jones, Health, 19 Oct. 2025
Katy Puig vomited a gush of seawater as a boater hoisted her unconscious body out of the water, fighting the current to get her to a yacht that had come to the rescue before first responders arrived in a flotilla.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
One of the nine children who met Perry was Florrie Bark, a 9-year-old whose charity, Bemorefab, raises funds to support children fighting cancer like herself.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
And after all, Republicans in Congress are currently fighting Democrats over extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies.
—David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
Yet Britain failed to capitalize on the success, underestimating the American ability to regroup and continue fighting.
—JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Tesla is still fighting a false advertising lawsuit from California's DMV.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fighting
Verb
-
Having lost 3-1 at Celta Vigo, Razvan Lucescu’s side fell behind at home to reigning champions Olympiacos before battling back thanks to goals from Andrija Zivkovic and Taison, once a member of Shakhtar Donetsk’s Brazilian core.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Samantha Eggar, the British actress best known for her roles in 1960s-’70s films The Collector, Doctor Dolittle and The Molly Maguires, died Wednesday, October 15, at her home in Sherman Oaks, California, after battling a five-year illness.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
He was also ejected from a game in November against the Packers for targeting and fined $20,256 for flipping off opposing fans.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Does the opposing team ever try to get in your head by referencing Gwen or The Grabber?—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Brownlee became a special-teams player once the receivers came back, competing with Tyquan Thornton for a spot on the team, according to Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The findings also cited instances of trans athletes competing in girls' Alpine and Nordic skiing, lacrosse, track and field, and volleyball in Minnesota.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Jennifer Aniston’s Alex Levy, Reese Witherspoon’s Bradley Jackson, and the other members of The Morning Show’s newsroom and its network are once again bickering and backstabbing.—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Coaches are also bickering about money, a topic that would have felt out of place 10 years ago.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
To Los Pleneros, the hub is an example of resisting colonialism through education.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
14 Oct. 2025
-
They were charged with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and malicious destruction of property over $1,200.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The shipborne system draws tracking data from the Baden-Württemberg’s TRS-4D AESA radar, integrated into its combat management system.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Breaking these requires massive investment in advanced industrial manufacturing, from additive manufacturing facilities operating in combat zones to autonomous factories capable of 24/7 production surges.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
If those two QBs can increase their production, Denver and Jacksonville have a better shot at contending.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Many of the year’s top Oscar-contending documentaries are set for exhibition at the 11th annual Doc Stories, the prestigious four-day cinematic event in San Francisco put on by SFFILM.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Spanberger has called for the state government to stay out of decisions about who uses what bathrooms and locker rooms, arguing that's best left up to parents, teachers, students, and their school districts.—
Margaret Barthel,
NPR,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Easley has voted against a few proposals made by Superintendent Hill, including the SYDKIMYL contract extension and this year’s budget, arguing its teacher raises were too small.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fighting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fighting. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share