dogfight

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UK/ˈdɒɡ.faɪt/US[ˈdɔɡ.fʌɪt]cot caught merger[ˈdɑɡ.fʌɪt]

noun

A twisting turning battle between two or more military aircraft, especially between fighters.

“Missiles exhausted, the pilot was forced to close and dogfight with his opponent.”

Similar
hasslescuffletusslerough-and-tumble
UncommonScrabble 17
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Meanings

noundogfight (plural dogfights)

plural dogfights

  1. aeronauticsA twisting turning battle between two or more military aircraft, especially between fighters.

    The two bi-planes swirled around each other like angry wasps in a violent dogfight.

  2. A fight between dogs, especially as part of the blood sport of dogfighting.
verbdogfight (third-person singular simple present dogfights, present participle dogfighting, simple past and past participle dogfought)

present singular third person dogfights · participle present dogfighting · participle past dogfought · past dogfought

  1. To engage in a battle between fighter planes.

    Missiles exhausted, the pilot was forced to close and dogfight with his opponent.

Synonyms & antonyms

noundisorderly fighting

Similar
hasslescuffletusslerough-and-tumble
Broader
fightfightingcombat
Also see
hasslerough-and-tumblescuffletussle

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From dog + fight.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch hondengevecht
  • hondengevechtfight between dogs
Finnish koiratappelu, ilmataistelu
  • koiratappelufight between dogs
  • ilmataistelufight between military aircraft
  • hävittäjätaistelufight between military aircraft
  • kaartotaistelufight between military aircraft
French combat de chiens, combat aérien
  • combat de chiensfight between dogs
  • combat aérienfight between military aircraft
German Hundekampf, Luftkampf
  • Hundekampffight between dogs
  • Luftkampffight between military aircraft
Italian combattimento tra cani, combattimento aereo
  • combattimento tra canifight between dogs
  • combattimento aereofight between military aircraft
Norwegian bikkjeslagsmål, nærkamp
  • bikkjeslagsmålfight between dogs
  • nærkampfight between military aircraft
Polish walka psów
  • walka psówfight between dogs
Spanish pelea de perros
  • pelea de perrosfight between dogs
Turkish it dalaşı
  • it dalaşıfight between dogs
Cite this entry
APA

dogfight. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dogfight

MLA

“dogfight.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dogfight. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dogfight,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dogfight.

Source: dogfight on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.