1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To suppress or overcome a powerful emotion or physical sensation through deliberate willpower.
"He fought down his panic and calmly began to look for a way out."
separable
fight down
B2 neutral separable transitive
To suppress or overcome a strong feeling or emotion through deliberate effort.
In plain English
To try very hard to stop a strong feeling, like being scared or feeling sick, from taking over.
What does "fight down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To resist or overcome an impulse or urge that one does not want to act on.
"She fought down the urge to laugh at his completely serious expression."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To physically fight something downward, suppressing it.
Actually means
To try very hard to stop a strong feeling, like being scared or feeling sick, from taking over.
Usage tip
Primarily used with abstract emotional or physical reactions as objects: 'fight down panic/nausea/fear/anger'. Implies a conscious, effortful internal struggle. Less common than 'fight back' but used in similar emotional contexts. More common in written than spoken English.
Words that pair with "fight down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
panic fear nausea anger urge impulse
How to conjugate "fight down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fight down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
fights down
he/she/it
Past simple
fought down
yesterday
Past participle
fought down
have + pp
-ing form
fighting down
continuous
Hear "fight down" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "fight down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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