fight-or-flight
adjective
: relating to, being, or causing physiological changes in the body (such as an increase in heart rate or dilation of bronchi) in response to stress
epinephrine is a fight-or-flight hormone
a fight-or-flight reaction
Examples of fight-or-flight in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And though stress is ever-present, an acute stressor that activates the fight-or-flight response, brought on by an argument or difficult situation, could exacerbate the situation, creating a perfect storm.
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Allison Aubrey, NPR, 17 Dec. 2025
The narrow Tuscan roads, steep curves, and zippy Italian drivers triggered a full fight-or-flight response.
—Hannah Howard, Travel + Leisure, 22 Nov. 2025
Your skin prickles, adrenaline spikes — and that primal fight-or-flight instinct kicks in.
—Sarah Hutter, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Over time, our nervous systems stay locked in fight-or-flight.
—Marc Brackett, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fight-or-flight
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Allison Aubrey, NPR, 17 Dec. 2025
The narrow Tuscan roads, steep curves, and zippy Italian drivers triggered a full fight-or-flight response.
—Hannah Howard, Travel + Leisure, 22 Nov. 2025
Your skin prickles, adrenaline spikes — and that primal fight-or-flight instinct kicks in.
—Sarah Hutter, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Over time, our nervous systems stay locked in fight-or-flight.
—Marc Brackett, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fight-or-flight
Cite this Entry
“Fight-or-flight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fight-or-flight. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.
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