Definition

1. Verb:
   • To resist an attack or pressure: To make a forceful effort to defend oneself or to counter an opponent's actions.
   • To struggle to suppress or overcome a feeling or reaction: To make a conscious effort to control an emotional response.

Usage and Examples

• To resist an attack or challenge:
  • The villagers were forced to fight back against the invaders.
  • She decided to fight back against the unfair criticism.
• To defend oneself verbally or physically:
  • When bullied, he learned to fight back.
  • The boxer was hurt but managed to fight back in the final round.
• To suppress an emotion:
  • He fought back tears during the emotional speech.
  • She fought back the urge to laugh at the inappropriate moment.

Advanced Usage

• "to fight back against something": To actively resist or combat a force, trend, or problem.
  • The community is fighting back against the new development plans.
  • Scientists are fighting back against the spread of misinformation.

Variants and Related Words

• Fightback (noun): An act of resisting or counterattacking.
  • The team staged an impressive fightback in the second half.
• Fighter (noun): A person who fights or resists.

Synonyms

• Resist: To withstand the action or effect of.
• Defend: To protect from harm or danger.
• Counterattack: To attack in response to an attack.
• Struggle: To make a forceful effort against opposition.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Fight off: To repel or resist something successfully.
  • She is trying to fight off a cold.
• Fight out: To settle a dispute through struggle or competition.
  • The two teams will fight it out in the finals.

Related Idioms

• "Fight fire with fire": To use similar methods to those used against you.
  • The politician decided to fight fire with fire and respond to the negative ads.
• "Fight a losing battle": To try to achieve something that is unlikely to succeed.
  • He was fighting a losing battle against the new regulations.

Verb

1. fight against or resist strongly
   • The senator said he would oppose the bill
   • Don't fight it!
2. defend oneself