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
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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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
Mark Temnycky, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Their play-fighting suggests a slightly incestuous, flirty relationship, that baseline creepiness of a mom who is just a little too close to her son.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Governor does not comment on hypotheticals, spokesman says DeWine's reticence on the guard question came a little more than a half hour into a press conference called to announce a new agreement for the state patrol to assist crime-fighting in Cincinnati.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Sep. 2025
Just a couple of short years into the modern fighting-game renaissance that was kickstarted by titles like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and Mortal Kombat 1, the scene is booming.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Season 5 sees the crime-fighting, podcasting trio investigate the death of the Arconia's beloved doorman, Lester, who died under suspicious circumstances at the end of Season 4.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The trustees’ efforts, the first step toward positioning the bank for sale, were paused during five years of legal fighting, which came to a close through a legal settlement reached about a year ago.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 9 Sep. 2025
Under the proposal, Israel and Hamas would start immediate negotiations for a comprehensive end to the war, and the fighting would not resume as long as talks continued.
—Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
Both Russia and Ukraine have invested heavily in these capabilities, effectively ushering in a new era of partially autonomous fighting.
—Brian Walsh, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025
Proctor also investigated the Walshe case and other criminal cases in Norfolk County and those defense attorneys are fighting to get information from Proctor’s phone backup archives that could exonerate their clients.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
The founders of Ssense have won round one in their battle with their creditors, allowing the company to remain in the hands of chief executive officer Rami Atallah and his brothers Firas and Bassel, who are fighting to remain in business and restructure the company’s operations.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 13 Sep. 2025
Richardson and Jackson have not had the best seasons, but both are still fighting strong.
—Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
According to Canelo, his son has already expressed big dreams about fighting himself.
—Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2025
Their upcoming schedule is against multiple teams fighting to secure a spot in this year’s playoffs.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025
The emotional ballast of the film — Davidson’s bond with Dottie Achenbach (a wonderful Maxine Peake), the mother of one his childhood friends, who is also fighting her own health battles — also suffers from moments of incoherence, but the immense power of that bond goes a long way.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Stines’ attorneys are also fighting to keep the case in Letcher County.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 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
Following the fighting, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a ceasefire, which was brokered by Russia and Turkey.
—Mark Temnycky, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Their play-fighting suggests a slightly incestuous, flirty relationship, that baseline creepiness of a mom who is just a little too close to her son.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Governor does not comment on hypotheticals, spokesman says DeWine's reticence on the guard question came a little more than a half hour into a press conference called to announce a new agreement for the state patrol to assist crime-fighting in Cincinnati.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Sep. 2025
Just a couple of short years into the modern fighting-game renaissance that was kickstarted by titles like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and Mortal Kombat 1, the scene is booming.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Season 5 sees the crime-fighting, podcasting trio investigate the death of the Arconia's beloved doorman, Lester, who died under suspicious circumstances at the end of Season 4.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The trustees’ efforts, the first step toward positioning the bank for sale, were paused during five years of legal fighting, which came to a close through a legal settlement reached about a year ago.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 9 Sep. 2025
Under the proposal, Israel and Hamas would start immediate negotiations for a comprehensive end to the war, and the fighting would not resume as long as talks continued.
—Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
Both Russia and Ukraine have invested heavily in these capabilities, effectively ushering in a new era of partially autonomous fighting.
—Brian Walsh, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
The approximate number of Americans who died fighting the Nazis in World War II.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025
Proctor also investigated the Walshe case and other criminal cases in Norfolk County and those defense attorneys are fighting to get information from Proctor’s phone backup archives that could exonerate their clients.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
The founders of Ssense have won round one in their battle with their creditors, allowing the company to remain in the hands of chief executive officer Rami Atallah and his brothers Firas and Bassel, who are fighting to remain in business and restructure the company’s operations.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 13 Sep. 2025
Richardson and Jackson have not had the best seasons, but both are still fighting strong.
—Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
According to Canelo, his son has already expressed big dreams about fighting himself.
—Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2025
Their upcoming schedule is against multiple teams fighting to secure a spot in this year’s playoffs.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025
The emotional ballast of the film — Davidson’s bond with Dottie Achenbach (a wonderful Maxine Peake), the mother of one his childhood friends, who is also fighting her own health battles — also suffers from moments of incoherence, but the immense power of that bond goes a long way.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Stines’ attorneys are also fighting to keep the case in Letcher County.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fighting
Verb
-
News publishers are battling some AI firms in court, with The New York Times engaged in litigation against OpenAI over claims that its articles were used without permission.—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Three Colleyville firefighters are recovering from injuries sustained while battling a blaze late Wednesday afternoon, officials said.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Wednesday nights are for watching tape on third downs at a variety of distances and taking more notes about pressure packages and the front structures opposing defenses prefer.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
-
This season, opposing defenses have blitzed the Hawks nearly 50% of the time, resulting in four of Robertson’s five interceptions.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
High-skilled workers will see income growth, while low-skill workers will be competing for a decreasing number of job openings.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The show gives Islanders from previous seasons of the dating show a second shot at love while competing in challenges for a chance at winning $100,000.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
The casting here is perfection itself, with Cumberbatch and Colman bickering back and forth with all the drawing-room style of a new age Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall, or maybe the Burton and Taylor of The Taming of the Shrew with a dab of Virginia Woolf.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
She has been charged with child endangerment, resisting arrest, false identification to law enforcement and obstructing an officer among other charges, according to online court records reviewed by PEOPLE.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
17 Sep. 2025
-
This data undercuts the common fear that resisting an activist will lead to wholesale turnover of the board.—
Kai Liekefett,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The city made a number of reforms over the summer to combat crime.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The initiative aims to build quantum navigation systems that operate without satellites and can withstand the noise and turbulence of combat environments.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Tonight's game is one of the biggest in the early going, as both teams have visions of going deep into the playoffs and contending for the Super Bowl this season.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Fortunately for the Mets, most of the National League’s playoff-contending teams are flawed, too.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Who doesn’t have childhood memories of arguing about Boardwalk and Park Place until the popcorn bowl got knocked over during an evening of wholesome family entertainment?—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In one video, a female student and the professor can be heard arguing over gender identity being taught in a children’s literature class.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fighting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fighting. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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