fight off
phrasal verb
fought off; fighting off; fights off
: to defend oneself against (someone or something) by fighting or struggling : to avoid being harmed or overcome by (someone or something) by fighting or struggling
They fought off the attack/attackers.
I'm trying to fight off a cold.
Examples of fight off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Why measles gets deadlier with age of first contact is still not entirely understood; the adult immune system must somehow be less optimized to fight off the virus.
—
Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2025
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts knows the first defeat is coming at some point, but his players continue to fight off the inevitable.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2025
In this powerful act of social and political resistance, this community centered nonprofit aims to fight off displacement and create opportunities for families and individuals to remain in their own neighborhoods.
—Alyza J Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
The woman was allegedly able to fight off the attacker and was able to escape, police said.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fight off
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2025
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts knows the first defeat is coming at some point, but his players continue to fight off the inevitable.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2025
In this powerful act of social and political resistance, this community centered nonprofit aims to fight off displacement and create opportunities for families and individuals to remain in their own neighborhoods.
—Alyza J Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
The woman was allegedly able to fight off the attacker and was able to escape, police said.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fight off
Cite this Entry
“Fight off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fight%20off. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share