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
As competition for a new Chicago Bears stadium intensifies, suburban fans and leaders plan to rally Wednesday night to bring the team to Arlington Heights — with a new urgency to fight off a bid from Indiana.
—
Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Those allies claimed Starmer would fight off the attempt.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026
These findings reinforce growing evidence that high amounts of excess fat might impair the body’s ability to fight off infection.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 9 Feb. 2026
Yet House leadership fought off an attempt to at least sanction him, instead adopting a delay tactic of initiating another ethics investigation.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fight off
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Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Those allies claimed Starmer would fight off the attempt.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026
These findings reinforce growing evidence that high amounts of excess fat might impair the body’s ability to fight off infection.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 9 Feb. 2026
Yet House leadership fought off an attempt to at least sanction him, instead adopting a delay tactic of initiating another ethics investigation.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fight off
Cite this Entry
“Fight off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fight%20off. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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