fight off
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
An antigen is the active ingredient in a vaccine meant to trigger an immune-system response and fight off infection.
—
Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
That triggers the development of antibodies — immune system proteins that fight off foreign invaders — that quickly learn to identify and attack alpha-gal sugar molecules.
—Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 13 June 2026
Matt attempted to fight off the animal and suffered injuries to his hand, but was unable to save his son, The Associated Press reported at the time.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
The victim was able to fight off the attacker, police said.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fight off
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Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
That triggers the development of antibodies — immune system proteins that fight off foreign invaders — that quickly learn to identify and attack alpha-gal sugar molecules.
—Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 13 June 2026
Matt attempted to fight off the animal and suffered injuries to his hand, but was unable to save his son, The Associated Press reported at the time.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
The victim was able to fight off the attacker, police said.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 11 June 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 20 Jun. 2026.
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