fought back

VERB

defend oneself

Synonyms

WEAK

beat off bottle up check contain control curb fend off hold at bay hold back keep at bay oppose put up fight repel reply repress repulse resist restrain retaliate stave off ward off

Antonyms

WEAK

give in give up surrender yield

VERB

defend

Synonyms

STRONGEST

resist retaliate

WEAK

beat off bottle up check contain control curb fight off hold back oppose repel reply repress repulse restrain stave off ward off

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For now, it remains empty -- a trophy, activists say, for a community that fought back.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Anthropic fought back in court, and federal Judge Rita Lin on Thursday sided with the company and issued the injunction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

However, Villarreal fought back with a lawsuit demanding damages.

From Slate • Mar. 26, 2026

A companion next to her fought back tears, her chin quivering.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

The remaining BOSUNs fought back, swatting at birds with their big blocky hands.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown