fight back
To fight or argue against someone who is attacking you, or to try to stop yourself from crying or feeling something.
Meanings
To defend yourself physically or verbally against someone who is attacking you; to retaliate.
"When the bullies pushed him, he finally decided to fight back."
To struggle to control or suppress an emotion such as tears, laughter, or anger.
"She fought back tears as she read her father's letter aloud."
To recover from a losing position in a competition or sports match.
"Down by two goals, the team fought back brilliantly to draw level."
To oppose or resist a force, system, or institution that one considers unjust.
"Citizens began to fight back against the new austerity measures."
Very versatile. Used in physical confrontations, emotional contexts (fighting back tears), sports (fighting back from a deficit), and political/social contexts (fighting back against injustice). Always intransitive — no direct object follows 'fight back'.
Commonly used with
Forms
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