fight off

verb

To succeed in defeating a challenge, or an attack.

“I'm fighting off the 'flu at the moment.”

Similar
repelrepulserebuffdrive back
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Meanings

verbfight off (third-person singular simple present fights off, present participle fighting off, simple past and past participle fought off)

present singular third person fights off · participle present fighting off · participle past fought off · past fought off

  1. To succeed in defeating a challenge, or an attack.

    The platoon fought off the guerrilla attack.

    1 more example

    The actor John Smith hopes to fight off the other nominees for the Golden Globe award.

  2. To resist, particularly an infection or an emotion.

    I'm fighting off the 'flu at the moment.

  3. CaribbeanslangTo fight (someone) aggressively.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbforce or drive back

Similar
repelrepulserebuffdrive back
Broader
fightopposefight back
Also see
drive backrebuffrepelrepulse

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Polish zwalczać, zwalczyć
  • zwalczaćto succeed in defeating a challenge or an attack
  • zwalczyćto succeed in defeating a challenge or an attack
  • zwalczaćto resist, particularly an infection or an emotion
  • zwalczyćto resist, particularly an infection or an emotion
Cite this entry
APA

fight off. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fight%20off

MLA

“fight off.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fight%20off. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fight off,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fight%20off.

Source: fight off on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.