fights 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of fight
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as in competes
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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fights

2 of 2

noun

plural of fight
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2
3

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 fights
Verb
The lowest score came from The Guardian, which handed it two stars out of five, while Giant Bomb landed positive overall with a complaint that the boss fights lean on damage sponges more than puzzles. Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 Recent budget fights over increasing defense spending, which failed to commit the UK to NATO’s spending targets at a time when wars in Ukraine and the Middle East continue, only serve to illustrate this. Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 17 July 2026 Though some speculated that Page might be playing Achilles, the actor is actually portraying Odysseus’ cousin Sinon, who fights alongside the king in the Trojan War. Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026 Instead of succumbing to tropey writing, Ellis-Taylor fights hard for specificity. Judy Berman, Time, 15 July 2026 Along the way, our hero encounters the sorceress Circe, who turns his companions into pigs; makes a descent into Hades; fights the song of the sirens; and survives the island of the nymph Calypso. Valentina Colosimo, Vanity Fair, 14 July 2026 The court also limited its ruling to the realm of sports, leaving for another day fights over bathroom and locker room access for trans students. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 8 July 2026 Oppenheimer follow-up about a man haunted by defying the gods & dooming civilization — this one fights to avenge his own hubris. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026 Agamemnon is the commander of the Greek army that fights the Trojan War for the recovery of Menelaus’s wife, Helen. Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 July 2026
Noun
Both Roach, coming off three consecutive draws in title fights, and Zepeda, looking to bounce back from a loss, desperately need a decisive win. Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 That divide has become more pronounced as national politics seep into local education fights. Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 21 July 2026 Styles make fights Firstly, this will be a clash of two very opposing styles. Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 July 2026 In some physical altercations, both residents were aggressors, while other fights were one-sided. Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026 Another takeover involving more than 300 teens happened on Saturday at the boardwalk in University City, where multiple fights broke out. Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026 The fights about data centers can often take the form of collisions between companies and community members. Laura Mullenbach, Fortune, 14 July 2026 Of his 24 professional fights before Saturday, most were against obscure opponents and all but three were in Germany. ABC News, 11 July 2026 What is new is that the federal government has reignited such fights, elevating local division to a new level of official dissent. Tara Sonenshine, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fights
Verb
  • Both the poem and the film center around Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, who battles his way back home after the Trojan War.
    Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
  • Emmet Sheehan battles through 5⅓ strong innings and Shohei Ohtani belts his ninth leadoff homer, but the Dodgers are swept for the first time this season.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
Verb
  • Jovial Jupiter in your 11th House of Friends opposes unearthing Pluto in your 5th House of Creativity, pulling group expectations against personal expression.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 20 July 2026
  • One organization, the Motorcycle Industry Council, opposes the bill.
    Madison Smalstig July 18, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
Verb
  • Jay still competes as part of the Huntington Beach Boardriders Club and holds down a major spot in the lineup at the pier.
    Corky Carroll, Oc Register, 18 July 2026
  • Every tool that requires setup, configuration, or behavioral change competes for a finite pool of attention.
    Vivian Toh, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • The pope, played by Samora la Perdida, is a mincing oaf who bickers with Galas about the value of translating Wagner.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • With three pockets to hold essentials, this moisture-wicking pair is lightweight and resists pills, per shoppers.
    Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2026
  • The human personality resists easy analysis — that is surely one of Aviv’s takeaways.
    Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Noun
  • Oil prices jumped 6% on the news, following a violent weekend of skirmishes in the Persian Gulf as both sides attempted to assert control over the strait.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 July 2026
  • Negotiations have yet to produce a major breakthrough as skirmishes over the Strait continued this week.
    Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Noun
  • There are also examples of schools that reject students with academic or behavioral struggles.
    Peter Greene, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • In a place whose people are forced to endure the same struggles as their parents (to paraphrase one of this film’s most aching laments), time will always be a flat circle.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
Noun
  • Often, altercations involving a resident with dementia erupt after danger signals are missed or ineffectively addressed, according to a KFF Health News examination of court records, police reports, and state and federal inspection reports.
    Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026
  • Retired Miami Heat forward and captain Udonis Haslem found himself in more than a few altercations during his NBA playing career.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026

Cite this Entry

“Fights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fights. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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