1
as in battles
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 opposes
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 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
4
as in bickers
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 resists
to refuse to give in to
I tried to fight the temptation to eat another cookie—and lost
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in skirmishes
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
a troubled youth who got into one fight after another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in struggles
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
the mayoral candidate pledged to lead a successful fight to improve the city's schools
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in altercations
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
the couple have their share of fights, but they quickly get over them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fights
Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
On the outskirts of the crowd, fights broke out between protesters and counter-protesters.
—Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
Riffing on classic mafia films, Sunny follows a female gangster who fights to protect her sons — and herself — from an abusive drug kingpin.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
Eleven finds her way to them, jumping inside the Mind Flayer to destroy Vecna, who’s controlling it from within, while Will fights telepathically from the outside, no longer empathetic or afraid to go toe to toe with his former saboteur.
—Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2026
Ucg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Novo Nordisk’s shift from a market darling to a serious underperformer has set the stage for a transitional 2026 as the Danish drugmaker fights to regain investor confidence in its weight loss business.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
The only difference is that the villain gives into this evil and Will fights it.
—Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
She was seen in the ring for the Jahmal Harvery-Kevin Cervantes and the Paul-Anthony Joshua fights.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
This is where Cidara, a small San Diego pharmaceutical company, created what the scientific community has talked about for decades — a kind of universal flu shot that fights all forms of influenza.
—Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Lindsey Underwood, Vanity Fair, 13 Jan. 2026
From high-stakes budget fights to ambitious transit plans and a political cycle already heating up, these are some of the people who will leave their fingerprints on the year ahead.
—Austin American Statesman, 12 Jan. 2026
Proxy fights can be bitter, disruptive and quite costly for both sides.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 12 Jan. 2026
The Computer & Communications Industry Association and another industry group, NetChoice, have been locked in federal-court fights against two state laws that placed restrictions on social-media platforms.
—Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2026
Whatever the Supreme Court does will shape those fights.
—Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
One of the wildest fights of the hockey season may have occurred during the intermission of an American Hockey League game between the Hershey Bears and the Cleveland Monsters.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 Jan. 2026
Other states such as West Virginia are currently embroiled in fights over their vaccine requirements, with the governor pushing for more religious exemptions for school-aged children.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 9 Jan. 2026
Someone who is angry or vengeful fights due to passion, not courage, according to Aristotle.
—Kenneth Andrew Andres Leonardo, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
The National Immigration Law Center fights in courts and legislatures to protect low-income immigrants, ensuring that civil rights don’t disappear simply because of where someone was born.
—Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
On the outskirts of the crowd, fights broke out between protesters and counter-protesters.
—Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
Riffing on classic mafia films, Sunny follows a female gangster who fights to protect her sons — and herself — from an abusive drug kingpin.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
Eleven finds her way to them, jumping inside the Mind Flayer to destroy Vecna, who’s controlling it from within, while Will fights telepathically from the outside, no longer empathetic or afraid to go toe to toe with his former saboteur.
—Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2026
Ucg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Novo Nordisk’s shift from a market darling to a serious underperformer has set the stage for a transitional 2026 as the Danish drugmaker fights to regain investor confidence in its weight loss business.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
The only difference is that the villain gives into this evil and Will fights it.
—Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
She was seen in the ring for the Jahmal Harvery-Kevin Cervantes and the Paul-Anthony Joshua fights.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
This is where Cidara, a small San Diego pharmaceutical company, created what the scientific community has talked about for decades — a kind of universal flu shot that fights all forms of influenza.
—Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Noun
There were still fights to fight and Perfidia’s restlessness and struggles adjusting to motherhood led her to leave.
—Lindsey Underwood, Vanity Fair, 13 Jan. 2026
From high-stakes budget fights to ambitious transit plans and a political cycle already heating up, these are some of the people who will leave their fingerprints on the year ahead.
—Austin American Statesman, 12 Jan. 2026
Proxy fights can be bitter, disruptive and quite costly for both sides.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 12 Jan. 2026
The Computer & Communications Industry Association and another industry group, NetChoice, have been locked in federal-court fights against two state laws that placed restrictions on social-media platforms.
—Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2026
Whatever the Supreme Court does will shape those fights.
—Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
One of the wildest fights of the hockey season may have occurred during the intermission of an American Hockey League game between the Hershey Bears and the Cleveland Monsters.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 Jan. 2026
Other states such as West Virginia are currently embroiled in fights over their vaccine requirements, with the governor pushing for more religious exemptions for school-aged children.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 9 Jan. 2026
Someone who is angry or vengeful fights due to passion, not courage, according to Aristotle.
—Kenneth Andrew Andres Leonardo, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fights
Verb
-
More than four years later, Sanchez still battles the emotional fallout.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Chris Mara spoke on behalf of Giants ownership Tuesday after John Harbaugh’s introductory press conference, confirming Mara’s rise to a more prominent role and influence in the organization as his brother, co-owner John Mara, battles cancer.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Roarke LaCoursiere, with the Indiana Catholic Conference, said the organization opposes the bill because while its members stand with the victims and their families, the death penalty doesn’t bring about justice.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The governor rightly opposes raising nation-leading personal income taxes but may be cracking open the door to raising business or other taxes to respond to federal cuts.—
Andrew Rein,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Although the three share the track and a competitive spirit, the immediate family plan is focused primarily on Daniel, who already competes in outdoor karting with 100cc gasoline engines and has won races at the national level.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Its seasonal campaign is fronted by none other than the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics’ top stars, from Madison Chock (an Olympic gold medalist in ice dancing who competes with her husband Evan Bates) to bobsled world champ Kaysha Love.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
26 Jan. 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
-
When Bz points north, Earth’s field resists it; when Bz swings south, the two fields connect, allowing plasma to stream in.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Jaime resists Colby at first — not for long, really — after which, their physical interplay is presented with her pleasure as the priority.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These were not skirmishes but full-scale conflicts, usually costing tens—sometimes hundreds—of thousands of lives.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
18 Jan. 2026
-
The tactics of federal immigration agents have come under intense scrutiny after the shooting of Good and growing skirmishes between federal officers and protesters.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After years of struggles with hearing loss, Bonnie Covey's personal story of restoration has helped others with their complications.—
Ray Padilla,
Louisville Courier Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
-
For those two teams and the Pacers, the absence of a talented player(s) from the year prior led to their struggles.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Although government officials have claimed that Good and Pretti were both aggressors in their altercations, footage captured by bystanders appeared to contradict those claims.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Agents themselves are pulling out their phones during altercations with protesters.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fights. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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