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
While paddling down the St. Johns River near Orlando, Tyler Futrell saw a black bear fighting off a pair of alligators in the middle of the river.
—
Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 6 June 2024
During the November armed robbery, prosecutors said Wingate was shot in the neck while trying to fight off the two men in a Washington, D.C., parking garage.
—Daniella Segura, Miami Herald, 4 June 2024
With Michael and Moll in the Progenitors’ realm, Discovery fought off a swarm of Breen combat fighter ships by firing a slew of photon torpedoes that ignited the surrounding area.
—Jp Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 30 May 2024
The ants will fight off beneficial insects to make sure the aphids keep producing.
—Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 27 May 2024
This is the brain’s way of telling our body to be on high alert to fight off danger.
—Discover Magazine, 20 May 2024
The Virginia Union men used a sizeable height and weight advantage to fight off a pesky Bluefield State team, 61-55, in the quarterfinals.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 29 Feb. 2024
The audience sees Alba wielding a blade and fighting off a man with a chainsaw, among other badass moves.
—Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 21 May 2024
The inclusion of protest songs and the desire of the local community together to fight off the invaders is imbued with warlike determination and revolutionary zeal.
—Martin Dale, Variety, 17 May 2024
Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 6 June 2024
During the November armed robbery, prosecutors said Wingate was shot in the neck while trying to fight off the two men in a Washington, D.C., parking garage.
—Daniella Segura, Miami Herald, 4 June 2024
With Michael and Moll in the Progenitors’ realm, Discovery fought off a swarm of Breen combat fighter ships by firing a slew of photon torpedoes that ignited the surrounding area.
—Jp Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 30 May 2024
The ants will fight off beneficial insects to make sure the aphids keep producing.
—Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 27 May 2024
This is the brain’s way of telling our body to be on high alert to fight off danger.
—Discover Magazine, 20 May 2024
The Virginia Union men used a sizeable height and weight advantage to fight off a pesky Bluefield State team, 61-55, in the quarterfinals.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 29 Feb. 2024
The audience sees Alba wielding a blade and fighting off a man with a chainsaw, among other badass moves.
—Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 21 May 2024
The inclusion of protest songs and the desire of the local community together to fight off the invaders is imbued with warlike determination and revolutionary zeal.
—Martin Dale, Variety, 17 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fight off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Fight off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fight%20off. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
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