infighting
Definition
- Noun:
- Close-quarters combat: "infighting" refers to fighting at close range, especially in boxing or martial arts, where opponents are in direct physical contact.
- Internal conflict: "infighting" also means hidden or open conflict within a group, organization, or political party, often involving rivalry for power or resources.
Usage Examples
- Close-quarters combat:
- The boxer was skilled in infighting, using short punches to wear down his opponent. (Fighting at close range in a boxing match.)
- Internal conflict:
- The political party was weakened by constant infighting among its leaders. (Conflict within the group, not with outsiders.)
Advanced Usage
- "to engage in infighting": to participate in internal conflict or close combat.
- The board members engaged in infighting over the company’s future direction. (They argued or competed internally.)
- "to be consumed by infighting": to be dominated or damaged by internal disputes.
- The government was consumed by infighting, leaving little time for policy. (Internal conflicts took over all attention.)
Variants and Related Words
- Infighter (n): a person who engages in infighting, either in combat or within a group.
- He is a seasoned infighter in the corporate world. (He is skilled at internal politics.)
Synonyms
- Close combat: fighting at short range (for the boxing sense).
- Internal strife: conflict within a group (for the organizational sense).
- Factionalism: division into opposing groups within an organization.
Phrasal Verbs
- Fight in: to engage in close combat.
- The soldiers were trained to fight in at close quarters. (They practiced infighting techniques.)
Related Idioms
- Dirty laundry: internal disputes that are usually kept private.
- The infighting aired the organization’s dirty laundry in public. (Revealed hidden conflicts.)
- Backstabbing: treacherous actions within a group, often related to infighting.
- The office was full of backstabbing and infighting. (Betrayal and internal conflict.)