pick a fight
idiom
: to deliberately start a fight with someone
It would be foolish to pick a fight with that guy.
Examples of pick a fight in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But Iran’s lack of immediate defensive response to Israel’s Thursday night strike has prompted questions over whether Tehran would be able to pick a fight with the U.S. and create a third front.
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Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025
Occasionally a table will be brought out to suggest another bar, another time, for Elmer to get drunk in and pick a fight, or a safe will be wheeled on stage for the clueless Elmer to try to blow up.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2025
Yuskavage’s works want to pick a fight with the viewer, to force them to look away or even feel guilty about looking.
—Tom Teicholz, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
While few want to pick a fight with Washington publicly, the region is rattled.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pick a fight
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Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025
Occasionally a table will be brought out to suggest another bar, another time, for Elmer to get drunk in and pick a fight, or a safe will be wheeled on stage for the clueless Elmer to try to blow up.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2025
Yuskavage’s works want to pick a fight with the viewer, to force them to look away or even feel guilty about looking.
—Tom Teicholz, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
While few want to pick a fight with Washington publicly, the region is rattled.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pick a fight
Cite this Entry
“Pick a fight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pick%20a%20fight. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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