fighting

[ fahy-ting ]

adjective

1. fit to fight:

   a boxer who's no longer in fighting shape.

2. tending or meant to stir up a fight or hostility:

   fighting words.

Other Words From

• un·fighting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fighting¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; fight + -ing ²

Example Sentences

For example, she’s been involved with a campaign fighting against the anti-smacking movement, which seeks to ban hitting children in places like Wales.

From Ozy

Injuries to the back of the body might have occurred in fighting.

From Science News For Students

Some say fighting has no place in the sport, while others would counter that a certain degree of on-ice policing is required.

From FiveThirtyEight

The central bank’s commitment to loose monetary policy, and to keep credit flowing on the cheap were pivotal moves in giving equities a fighting chance as the broader economy crashed into recession.

From Fortune

In 2002, during a period of intense fighting between Palestine and Israel, anthropologist Richard Sosis took a taxi from Jerusalem to Tzfat, in northern Israel.

From Science News

First, one fights with another, then they make an alliance, then they go back to fighting each other.

From The Daily Beast

Part of the problem is the mandate of the war and the means with which the U.S. is fighting it do not match up.

From The Daily Beast

He said it was okay, that he had been busy too… busy fighting serious intestinal problems.

From The Daily Beast

So here we are with Abbas being the only one of three parties to this conflict still fighting for a two-state solution.

From The Daily Beast

Just a week before the start of a new Congress, the new House majority whip is fighting for his political life.

From The Daily Beast

There was no fighting; a rifle shot now and then from the crests where we saw our fellows clearly.

From Project Gutenberg

He thought they were now in touch with our troops at "X" but that they had been through some hard fighting to get there.

From Project Gutenberg

He has been ashore at Kum Kale and reports violent fighting and, for the time being, victory.

From Project Gutenberg

They held the compound against repeated assaults, and lost several men in hand-to-hand fighting.

From Project Gutenberg

A hundred more had been taken during the night fighting, but there was treachery and some of those were killed.

From Project Gutenberg