fighter

1 a person engaged in military service the debate whether more fighters are needed to bring order to that war-torn country Synonyms dogface, soldier, legionary, legionnaire, man-at-arms, regular, serviceman, trooper, warriorRelated Words servicewoman; carabineer (or carabinier), cavalier, cavalryman, cuirassier, dragoon; doughboy, footman, foot soldier, grunt, infantryman; commando, raider; jarhead [slang], marine, ranger; artilleryman, cannoneer, gunner, mortarman, musketeer, rifleman; archer, crossbowman; lancer, pikeman, spearman; Confederate, Continental, Federal, GI, guardsman, militiaman, minuteman; counterguerrilla (also counterguerilla), guerrilla (or guerilla), irregular, paramilitary, partisan (also partizan); combatant, noncombatant; lifer, veteran, warhorse; conscript, draftee, enrollee, recruit; reservist; champion, knight; digger [chiefly Australian & New Zealand], gallowglass, gendarmeAntonyms civilian

2 one that engages in the sport of fighting with the fists a program at the community center for training local youths as fighters Synonyms boxer, gladiator, prizefighter, pug, pugilistRelated Words palooka, slugger, stumblebum; bantamweight, cruiserweight, featherweight, flyweight, heavyweight, light heavyweight, lightweight, middleweight, superheavyweight, welterweight

3 a person who takes part in a dispute kept the two fighters apart until they had calmed down and could talk sensibly Synonyms arguer, argufier, bickerer, brawler, debater, disputer, disputant, quarreler (or quarreller), scrapper, squabbler, wranglerRelated Words advocate, codefendant, defendant, plaintiff, pleader; challenger, contender, contestant, skirmisher; fusser, nitpicker, pettifogger, quibbler