fight back: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to Formal (more common in journalism and figurative contexts)
Quick answer
What does “fight back” mean?
to defend oneself by attacking in response.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to defend oneself by attacking in response; to resist or oppose an attack, challenge, or setback.
To resist an opposing force, difficult emotion, or unfavourable situation; to make a determined effort to recover or succeed after a setback.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major syntactic differences. The noun form 'fightback' (as one word) is more established and frequently used in British English journalism (e.g., 'stage a fightback'). In American English, it's more often seen as two words ('fight back') even in nominal uses.
Connotations
Both varieties share core meanings. In British English, 'fightback' as a noun can have a slightly more organised, collective, or sporting connotation.
Frequency
Comparatively high frequency in both varieties, with roughly equal usage.
Grammar
How to Use “fight back” in a Sentence
FIGHT BACKFIGHT BACK + against + NP (fight back against injustice)FIGHT BACK + NP (fight back tears)FIGHT BACK + to + INF (fought back to win)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fight back” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The team fought back brilliantly to earn a draw in the final minutes.
- She had to fight back her feelings of panic.
American English
- The community fought back against the proposed highway construction.
- He fought back a sneeze during the quiet ceremony.
adverb
British English
- N/A (not standard). The sequence 'fight back' is not used as a standalone adverb.
American English
- N/A (not standard).
adjective
British English
- The fight-back spirit of the underdog was inspirational. (Attributive use of noun)
American English
- Her fight-back attitude impressed everyone on the team. (Attributive use of noun)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The company fought back against the hostile takeover with a strong public relations campaign.
Academic
The theory fought back against prevailing deterministic models, emphasising human agency.
Everyday
He fought back the tears as he said goodbye.
Technical
The immune system fights back against the viral infection.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fight back”
- *She fought back to her opponent. (Correct: fought back against her opponent)
- Incorrect word order in questions: *Did they back fight? (Correct: Did they fight back?)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
As a verb, it's always two words: 'fight back'. As a noun, both 'fightback' (one word, more common in UK English) and 'fight back' (two words) are used, with the one-word form becoming increasingly standard.
Yes, it's very commonly used figuratively. You can fight back tears, emotions, an urge, a feeling, or against injustice, criticism, or a difficult situation.
'Fight back' implies a response after being attacked or challenged, focusing on resistance and counter-action. 'Fight off' means to defend yourself successfully so that the attacker goes away, emphasising repelling the threat (e.g., fight off an infection, fight off an attacker).
It is generally non-separable when used intransitively (fight back against something). However, when used with an object like 'tears' or 'urge', it can be seen as separable, though the object almost always comes directly after the particle (fight back tears, not *fight tears back).
to defend oneself by attacking in response.
Fight back is usually neutral to formal (more common in journalism and figurative contexts) in register.
Fight back: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪt bæk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪt bæk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “fight back from the brink”
- “fight back the years (figurative)”
- “fight back to back (literal)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a boxer who is hit (the attack) but then immediately throws a punch in return (the fight back).
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A STRUGGLE / AN ARGUMENT IS WAR (e.g., fighting back against criticism).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'fight back' used figuratively?