fights fire with fire

A form of fight fire with fire — To respond to an attack with a similar or identical counter-attack (e.g. to respond to gunfire with reciprocal gunfire).

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Meanings

verb
  1. indicativepresentsingularthird personthird-person singular simple present indicative of fight fire with fire
Cite this entry
APA

fights fire with fire. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fights%20fire%20with%20fire

MLA

“fights fire with fire.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fights%20fire%20with%20fire. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fights fire with fire,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fights%20fire%20with%20fire.

Source: fights fire with fire on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.