fist

1 of 2

noun

ˈfist How to pronounce fist (audio)
Synonyms of fistnext
1
: the hand clenched with the fingers doubled into the palm and the thumb doubled inward across the fingers
2
: the hand closed as in grasping : clutch
3
: index sense 5

fist

2 of 2

verb

fisted; fisting; fists

transitive verb

1
: to grip with the fist : handle
2
: to clench into a fist

Examples of fist in a Sentence

Noun He pounded his fist on the table in anger. She pounded on the door with both fists. He defiantly shook his fist at the policeman.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
It has long been said that India runs cricket with an iron fist and that figureheads such as Barclay are merely window dressing. — Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025 Huskies guard Hassan Diarra shoved Neal in the chest and appeared to square up with his fists for a split second as the two were face-to-face. — Ryan Morik, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025
Verb
The script is often the same: the crowd swells, accusations fly, fists land, and the spectacle is sometimes even filmed. — Ismat Ara, TIME, 15 Mar. 2025 No wonder Nathan gets creative when facing off against Zeno (Garth Collins), a massive adversary with rhinoceros muscles and fists the size of watermelons. — Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fist

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English fȳst; akin to Old High German fūst fist, Polish pięść, and probably to Old English fīf five

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fist was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing fist

Rhymes for fist

See All Rhymes for fist

Browse Nearby Words

fist
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Cite this Entry

“Fist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fist. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

fist

noun
ˈfist
1
: the hand clenched with fingers doubled into the palm
2
: index entry 1 sense 4

Medical Definition

fist

noun
ˈfist How to pronounce fist (audio)
: the hand clenched with the fingers doubled into the palm and the thumb doubled inward across the fingers

More from Merriam-Webster on fist

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fist

Nglish: Translation of fist for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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