fight
fyt
Fight (verb) means to engage in physical combat or violence with someone. Example: “Two stray cats were fighting under the parked car.”
verb
1
To engage in physical combat or violence with someone.
"Two stray cats were fighting under the parked car."
"The two boxers fought for twelve rounds."
2
To struggle or campaign strongly for or against something.
"She has spent years fighting for workers’ rights."
"Local residents are fighting to save the village library from closing."
"Doctors around the world fight against disease every single day."
noun
1
An instance of physical combat or a violent confrontation.
"A fight broke out in the parking lot after the game."
"The referee stopped the fight before either boxer was badly hurt."
"Two dogs got into a fight in the park this morning."
2
A conflict, argument, or contest, not necessarily physical.
"They had a big fight about money last week."
"My sister and I had a silly fight over who should wash up."
"The election turned into a close fight between two experienced candidates."
3
The determination or spirit needed to keep struggling.
"Despite the setback, the team still had plenty of fight left."
"The old horse still has a lot of fight in him."
"After hours of struggling, she had no fight left and simply sat down."
How to use fight
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPhysical combat, or any kind of struggle or argument — as a noun, also the willpower to keep struggling.
Common pairings
pick a fight
fight for justice
put up a fight
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Word forms
- Plural
- fights
- Third person singular
- fights
- Past tense
- fought, foughten
- Archaic forms
- fightest, fighteth, foughtest
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Two stray cats were _____ under the parked car.
Etymology
From Old English feohtan, "to fight, strive," related to an ancient root meaning "to comb or tear," describing violent struggle.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for fight
See all rhymes for fight →Frequently asked questions
What does “fight” mean?
The word “fight” means to engage in physical combat or violence with someone. In plain terms, physical combat, or any kind of struggle or argument — as a noun, also the willpower to keep struggling.
How do you pronounce “fight”?
“Fight” is pronounced fyt (/fəɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “fight” in a sentence?
Here is “fight” used in a sentence: “She has spent years fighting for workers’ rights.”
What is another word for “fight”?
Words with a similar meaning to “fight” include affray, dust-up, fracas, kerfuffle, rixation and ruckus.
What part of speech is “fight”?
Depending on how it is used, “fight” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “fight” come from?
The word “fight” comes from Old English. From Old English feohtan, "to fight, strive," related to an ancient root meaning "to comb or tear," describing violent struggle.
Is “fight” a common word?
“Fight” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “fight” have?
“Fight” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to engage in physical combat or violence with someone.
What is the difference between fight and argue?
To fight, in this sense, is to use physical force against someone — hitting, wrestling, or otherwise coming to blows. To argue is to disagree in words, exchanging opposing views without violence. People do say they 'had a fight' about a purely verbal row, but the core meaning of 'fight' is physical.
What is the past tense of fight?
'Fight' is an irregular verb. Its past tense and past participle are both 'fought,' not 'fighted': you say 'they fought yesterday' and 'he has fought many times.' The present form is 'fight' and the continuous form is 'fighting.' The unusual 'gh' spelling is a leftover from older English.
What is the difference between fight and battle?
A fight is any clash of physical force, from a brief scuffle between two people to a longer struggle. A battle is larger and more organised — typically a major armed clash between opposing forces in a war. Every battle involves fighting, but most fights are far smaller than a battle.
What is an example of fight used as a verb?
In its physical sense: 'The two men began to fight in the street,' or 'soldiers trained to fight.' It also extends figuratively to any determined struggle, as in 'fight a disease' or 'fight for your rights,' where no physical blows are actually involved.
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