1
as in battled
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 opposed
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 competed
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 bickered
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 resisted
to refuse to give in to
I tried to fight the temptation to eat another cookie—and lost
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fought
When her parents fought, Roberts Giuffre would huddle with her little brother, covering his ears.
—
Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
Mayweather has fought in eight exhibition matches since, the last one coming against John Gotti III — the grandson of infamous mob boss John Gotti — in Mexico City in August 2024.
—Matt Schubert, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Over the past 15 years, Pender has worked with various attorneys and, in a surprising twist, Larry Sells, the Marion County deputy prosecutor who fought to put her behind bars, to reduce her sentence.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
But to no one’s surprise, Canada fought to prevent an American coronation.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
While Kowalczyk toured as Live, the other musicians fought amongst themselves, with multiple lawsuits filed.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2026
For years afterward, Italian American groups in the city fought to put the Columbus statues back up.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
At the turn of the millennium, Lookingglass had fought its way into the top tier of resident Chicago theaters, turning the big five of Goodman, Steppenwolf, Court, Second City and Chicago Shakespeare into the big six.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
For the next three years, American forces—including approximately 10,000 American Indian soldiers—along with troops from 15 other nations, fought to prevent a Communist takeover.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
Mayweather has fought in eight exhibition matches since, the last one coming against John Gotti III — the grandson of infamous mob boss John Gotti — in Mexico City in August 2024.
—Matt Schubert, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2026
Over the past 15 years, Pender has worked with various attorneys and, in a surprising twist, Larry Sells, the Marion County deputy prosecutor who fought to put her behind bars, to reduce her sentence.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
But to no one’s surprise, Canada fought to prevent an American coronation.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
While Kowalczyk toured as Live, the other musicians fought amongst themselves, with multiple lawsuits filed.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2026
For years afterward, Italian American groups in the city fought to put the Columbus statues back up.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
At the turn of the millennium, Lookingglass had fought its way into the top tier of resident Chicago theaters, turning the big five of Goodman, Steppenwolf, Court, Second City and Chicago Shakespeare into the big six.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
For the next three years, American forces—including approximately 10,000 American Indian soldiers—along with troops from 15 other nations, fought to prevent a Communist takeover.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fought
Verb
-
In 2017, production was halted as Dane battled depression.—
Maria Sherman,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Aledo battled from wire to wire, but the Bearcats missed a three pointer from the top of the key at the final buzzer to give Joshua a 33-31 upset in a Class 5A Division I area contest on Thursday at Godley High School.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Palestinian Authority wants to govern both territories ahead of eventual statehood, something to which Israel is adamantly opposed.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Bowden and three other physicians sued doctors, medical boards and the Federation of State Medical Boards, accusing them of conspiring to punish doctors who opposed COVID-19 vaccine mandates and treatments that did not adhere to medical boards’ guidelines.—
Evan MacDonald,
Houston Chronicle,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Singapore has only competed in one previous Winter Games, the 2018 edition, where short-track speedskater Cheyenne Goh finished 28th in the women’s 1,500 meters.—
Lee Ying Shan,Sydney Goh,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
-
But the strongest aspect of the project by far is the personal stories of the women who actually competed to become America’s next top model, including Sullivan.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The actors jokingly bickered about their history with the ceremony, with Cheadle remarking that Clooney hadn’t won since 2026 winner Timothée Chalamet was 3 years old.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 Jan. 2026
-
On 33 occasions since 2017, Congress has been forced to pass emergency extensions to the flood insurance program, as lawmakers bickered over budgets and looming shutdowns threatened to disrupt it, according to a letter the National Association of Realtors sent to Congress ahead of the shutdown.—
Rukmini Callimachi,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Moderna resisted, but agreed to provide test subjects with enhanced disclosures on its informed consent form, to which the FDA assented.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Black communities in Philadelphia have always resisted and mobilized for educational justice.—
Leana Cabral,
The Conversation,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This phrase was born on social media and its effects can be combatted with intervention from parents.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
20 Dec. 2025
-
Pureval countered that the city leadership combatted crime through numerous measures, including implementing a stricter curfew and recruiting more officers.—
Scott Wartman,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
His lawyers have contended ICE racially profiled him.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Kyle McNabb, however, contended in police documents that the internal temperature of such a vehicle could have climbed above 140 degrees.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Some board members who voted no said the district had not sufficiently demonstrated that broad layoff notices were the most responsible or strategic option and argued that the analysis did not fully account for the operational and human consequences of issuing RIF notices at that scale.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The war enters its fifth year this month, and Kyiv is in a stronger position than at the start of 2025, a Carnegie Endowment expert argued in Foreign Affairs.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fought.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fought. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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