Phrasal verb
fight back
Definition
phrasal verb. to resist or defend yourself when someone attacks you or treats you unfairly.
phrasal verb. to resist an attack or an opposing force; to take action against a person or group that has caused harm or difficulty.
Examples
“If someone hits you, you should fight back.”
“The small company decided to fight back against the larger corporation by lowering its prices.”
“After years of systemic oppression, the local community began to fight back through organized protests and legal challenges.”
Examples
simple
“If someone hits you, you should fight back.”
contextual
“The small company decided to fight back against the larger corporation by lowering its prices.”
complex
“After years of systemic oppression, the local community began to fight back through organized protests and legal challenges.”
Usage
can be used literally for physical combat or figuratively for social and professional resistance.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'retaliate', which often implies a specific act of revenge, whereas 'fight back' focuses on the act of resistance itself.
Pitfall
They fighted back against the army.
They fought back against the army.
the verb 'fight' is irregular; the past tense form is 'fought'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
back
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
fight + back
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/fight-back