Phrasal verb
fight off
Definitions
01to repel an attack
B2 · Upper Intermediate
phr.v. to defend yourself against a physical attack or a challenge so that you are not defeated.
phr.v. to repel an aggressor or defeat a challenge through physical or strategic resistance.
“The small army managed to fight off the invaders for three days.”
“The security team successfully fought off the cyberattack, though the hackers managed to briefly disrupt the main server.”
Usage
This is a transitive phrasal verb; the object can sit between 'fight' and 'off'.
02to resist illness
B2 · Upper Intermediate Medicine
phr.v. to try to stay healthy when you feel like you are getting sick.
phr.v. to resist the onset or progression of a pathogen or infection through the body's natural immune response.
“I am drinking plenty of orange juice to help fight off this cold.”
“The patient's immune system was too weakened by the previous treatment to effectively fight off the secondary infection.”
Usage
Commonly used with objects like 'cold', 'flu', 'infection', or 'virus'.
Antonyms
03to suppress a feeling
B2 · Upper Intermediate
phr.v. to try hard not to show or feel a strong emotion, like sleepiness or tears.
phr.v. to consciously resist or suppress an internal physiological or emotional state.
“She tried to fight off sleep during the long, boring meeting.”
“He struggled to fight off a rising sense of panic as he realised he had lost his passport in the crowded terminal.”
Usage
Often used with 'tears', 'sleep', 'panic', or 'boredom'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “fight off” in context.
Verb
01. desperately fight off an attacker
“She managed to desperately fight off an attacker by using her heavy handbag.”
adv + verb
02. fight off a cold
“I'm drinking plenty of orange juice to help my body fight off a cold.”
verb + noun
03. fight off a takeover bid
“The company is currently trying to fight off a takeover bid from its main rival.”
verb + noun
04. fight off the urge to cry
“He had to fight off the urge to cry when he heard the disappointing news.”
verb + noun
05. struggle to fight off sleep
“The lecture was so boring that I had to struggle to fight off sleep.”
verb + infinitive
06. successfully fight off the infection
“Her immune system was strong enough to successfully fight off the infection without antibiotics.”
adv + verb
Teaching tip
highlight the metaphorical extension from physical combat to biological resistance; it is more active and effortful than simply 'recovering' from a cold.
Phrasal verb
Particles
off
Separability
optional
Pattern
fight + off + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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