fight

/faɪt/

/faɪt/

Other forms: fighting; fought; fights

When you fight, you dispute or argue. Everyone disagrees from time to time, but it's sad when close friends fight.

The verb fight means to engage in a struggle that involves conflict — and as a noun, fight is the conflict itself. A fight can take a physical form, like a boxing match or a playground skirmish, or it can happen with words, like a fight over politics. The ancient root of fight comes from the Proto-Indo-European prefix pek, meaning "to pluck out." Picture a hair-pulling fight, and this makes complete sense.

Definitions of fight

1. verb

   be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
   “the tribesmen fought each other”

   “Siblings are always fighting”

   synonyms: contend, struggle

   types:

   bear down

   exert full strength

   fistfight

   fight with the fists

   join battle

   engage in a conflict

   tug

   struggle in opposition

   defend, fight back, fight down, oppose

   fight against or resist strongly

   get back, settle

   get one's revenge for a wrong or an injury

   fight back

   defend oneself

   battle, combat

   battle or contend against in or as if in a battle

   war

   make or wage war

   assail, attack

   launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with

   duel

   fight a duel, as over one's honor or a woman

   joust

   joust against somebody in a tournament by fighting on horseback

   chicken-fight, chickenfight

   fight while sitting on somebody's shoulders

   tourney

   engage in a tourney

   feud

   carry out a feud

   skirmish

   engage in a skirmish

   bandy

   exchange blows

   fence

   fight with sword-like foils

   box

   engage in a boxing match

   spar

   fight with spurs

   scuffle, tussle

   fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters

   wrestle

   engage in a wrestling match

   engage, wage

   carry on (wars, battles, or campaigns)

   recalcitrate

   show strong objection or repugnance; manifest vigorous opposition or resistance; be obstinately disobedient

   dogfight

   engage in an aerial battle with another fighter plane

   wrestle

   combat to overcome an opposing tendency or force

   blitzkrieg

   fight a quick and surprising war

   go to war, take arms, take up arms

   commence hostilities

   fend, resist, stand

   withstand the force of something

   hold out, resist, stand firm, withstand

   stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something

   submarine

   attack by submarine

   pelt, pepper

   attack and bombard with or as if with missiles

   tilt

   charge with a tilt

   hit, strike

   make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target

   counterattack, counterstrike

   make a counterattack

   gas

   attack with gas; subject to gas fumes

   storm, surprise

   attack by storm; attack suddenly

   blitz

   attack suddenly and without warning

   invade, occupy

   march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation

   beleaguer, besiege, circumvent, hem in, surround

   surround so as to force to give up

   drive back, fight off, rebuff, repel, repulse

   force or drive back

   bomb, bombard

   throw bombs at or attack with bombs

   strafe

   attack with machine guns or cannon fire from a low-flying plane

   cannonade

   attack with cannons or artillery

   torpedo

   attack or hit with torpedoes

   block, deflect, parry

   impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball)

   spar

   box lightly

   prizefight

   box for a prize or money

   shadowbox

   go through boxing motions without an opponent

   mud-wrestle, mudwrestle

   wrestle in mud

   offer, provide, put up

   mount or put up

   bust, raid

   search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on
2. verb

   fight against or resist strongly
   “Don't fight it!”

   synonyms: defend, fight back, fight down, oppose

   types:

   recalcitrate

   show strong objection or repugnance; manifest vigorous opposition or resistance; be obstinately disobedient

   fend, resist, stand

   withstand the force of something

   hold out, resist, stand firm, withstand

   stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something

   drive back, fight off, rebuff, repel, repulse

   force or drive back

   stand out

   be stubborn in resolution or resistance

   stand up

   refuse to back down; remain solid under criticism or attack

   outbrave

   resist bravely

   hold off

   resist and fight to a standoff

   remain firm, stand

   hold one's ground; maintain a position; be steadfast or upright

   defy, hold, hold up, withstand

   resist or confront with resistance

   type of:

   contend, struggle

   be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
3. verb

   make a strenuous or labored effort
   “He fought for breath”

   synonyms: struggle

   types:

   drive, labor, labour, push, tug

   strive and make an effort to reach a goal

   flounder

   behave awkwardly; have difficulties

   reach, strain, strive

   to exert much effort or energy

   type of:

   assay, attempt, essay, seek, try

   make an effort or attempt
4. verb

   exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end or engage in a crusade for a certain cause or person; be an advocate for
   synonyms: agitate, campaign, crusade, press, push

   advertise, advertize, promote, push

   make publicity for; try to sell (a product)

   type of:

   advertise, advertize, promote, push

   make publicity for; try to sell (a product)
5. noun

   the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
   “a fight broke out at the hockey game”

   “there was fighting in the streets”

   synonyms: combat, fighting, scrap

   types:

   gunfight, gunplay, shootout

   a fight involving shooting small arms with the intent to kill or frighten

   brush, clash, encounter, skirmish

   a minor short-term fight

   close-quarter fighting

   hand-to-hand fighting at close quarters

   dogfight

   a violent fight between dogs (sometimes organized illegally for entertainment and gambling)

   fencing

   the art or sport of fighting with swords (especially the use of foils or epees or sabres to score points under a set of rules)

   faction, in-fighting

   conflict between members of the same organization (usually concealed from outsiders)

   set-to

   a brief but vigorous fight

   impact, shock

   the violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat

   dogfight, hassle, rough-and-tumble, scuffle, tussle

   disorderly fighting

   affaire d'honneur, duel

   a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor

   fistfight, fisticuffs, slugfest

   a fight with bare fists

   banging, battering

   the act of subjecting to strong attack

   beating, whipping

   the act of overcoming or outdoing

   affray, disturbance, fray, ruffle

   a noisy fight

   brawl, free-for-all

   a noisy fight in a crowd

   cut-and-thrust, knife fight, snickersnee

   fighting with knives

   gang fight, rumble

   a fight between rival gangs of adolescents

   single combat

   a fight between two people

   contretemps

   an awkward clash

   punch-up

   a fistfight

   type of:

   battle, conflict, struggle

   an open clash between two opposing groups (or individuals)
6. noun

   a boxing or wrestling match
   “the fight was on television last night”

   type of:

   boxing, fisticuffs, pugilism

   boxing with bare fists
7. noun

   an intense verbal dispute
   “a violent fight over the bill is expected in the Senate”

   type of:

   arguing, argument, contention, contestation, controversy, disceptation, disputation, tilt

   a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement
8. noun

   a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
   synonyms: battle, conflict, engagement

   examples:

   Battle of Britain

   the prolonged bombardment of British cities by the German Luftwaffe during World War II and the aerial combat that accompanied it

   Drogheda

   in 1649 the place was captured by Oliver Cromwell, who massacred the Catholic inhabitants

   types:

   Armageddon

   any catastrophically destructive battle

   pitched battle

   a fierce battle fought in close combat between troops in predetermined positions at a chosen time and place

   naval battle

   a pitched battle between naval fleets

   armed combat, combat

   an engagement fought between two military forces

   dogfight

   an aerial engagement between fighter planes

   assault

   close fighting during the culmination of a military attack

   resisting arrest

   physical efforts to oppose a lawful arrest; the resistance is classified as assault and battery upon the person of the police officer attempting to make the arrest

   belligerency, hostilities

   fighting; acts of overt warfare

   trench warfare

   a type of armed combat in which the opposing troops fight from trenches that face each other

   storm

   a direct and violent assault on a stronghold

   aggression

   the act of initiating hostilities

   type of:

   action, military action

   a military engagement
9. noun

   an aggressive willingness to compete
   “the team was full of fight”

   synonyms: competitiveness

   type of:

   aggressiveness

   the quality of being bold and enterprising