fighting words

Idioms and Phrases

A statement bound to start a quarrel or fight. It is often expressed as them's fighting words , as in You say your father's smarter than mine? Them's fighting words . The ungrammatical use of them's for “those are” emphasizes the folksy tone of this colloquialism, first recorded in Ring Lardner's Gullible's Travels (1917).

Example Sentences

Rebbe Mastriano stirred up the faithful with fighting words: "When the Israelites came into their promised land, they didn't just march in and take it. God had to move in mighty ways to remove their enemies. Our promised land is Pennsylvania, and we're taking it back."

From Salon

Democratic partisans want fighting words, and for Biden to take it directly to his corrupt, morally bankrupt opponent.

From Slate

A driver wanting “FJBLGB6,” explained that it referred to “kids names,” but DMV official Robyn Bose instead described it as “hate speech and fighting words and vulgar.”

From Seattle Times

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has had some fighting words for Google, too.

From Seattle Times

With the unanticipated arrival of a deeply troubled and shameless leader to the highest office, we need the Supreme Court — someday, perhaps, with a new set of justices — to consider a new category of inflammatory language, or “fighting words.”

From Salon