fight

n.

1. A violent struggle

   strife, conflict, contention, feud, quarrel, contest, struggle, encounter, row, dispute, disagreement, battle, battle royal, confrontation, controversy, brawl, affray, affair, fray, bout, match, fisticuffs, boxing match, round, broil, fracas, difficulty, altercation, bickering, wrangling, riot, argument, dissension, debate, competition, sparring match, a coming to blows, rivalry, skirmish, scrimmage, clash, scuffle, collision, brush, action, engagement, melee, passage of arms, sortie, pitched battle, tilt, joust, combat, duel, exchange of blows, wrestling match, squabble, game, discord, estrangement, hostilities, imbroglio, disturbance, recontre (French), tiff, difference of opinion, falling-out, fuss*, mix-up*, tussle*, scrap*, free-for-all*, ruckus*, run-in*, showdown*, flare-up*, go*, rumpus*, donnybrook*, set-to*, rhubarb*, hassle*; see also dispute.

2. Willingness or eagerness to fight

   belligerence, pugnacity, mettle, hardihood; see aggression 2, courage 1.

fight, a rather general word for any contest, struggle, or quarrel, stresses physical or hand-to-hand combat; conflict, which may apply to anything from armed fighting to mental struggle, refers to a sharp disagreement or clash, as between opposing groups, interests, or ideas, and emphasizes difficulty of resolution the conflict over slavery; struggle implies great effort or violent exertion, physical or otherwise the struggle for existence; contention most frequently applies to heated verbal strife, or dispute religious contention; contest refers to a struggle, either friendly or hostile, for supremacy in some matter athletic contests, a contest of wits

fight

v.

1. To struggle for an end

   carry on, strive, struggle, persevere, persist, push forward, support, uphold, lobby for, labor, work, exert oneself, travail, hammer away, toil on, take pains, spare no effort, fight one's way, put up a fight.

   Antonyms stop*, give up*, quit. *

2. To engage in an encounter

   battle, contend, clash, strive, war, struggle, combat, contest, oppose, resist, protest, challenge, confront, meet, attack, argue, quarrel, feud, engage in hostilities, go to war, wage war, take up arms, withstand, do battle, give battle, cross swords, exchange shots, exchange blows, come to blows, engage in fisticuffs, brawl, scuffle, encounter, bear arms against, tussle, grapple, brush with, have a brush with, collide, engage with, close with, wrestle, box, spar, measure swords with, skirmish, wrangle, bicker, squabble, dispute, row, bandy with, have it out, duel, joust, tilt, compete, vie, join issue, assert oneself, enter the lists, take up the gauntlet, set to, fight the good fight, fight to the last ditch, tangle*, pitch into*, tear into*, take on all comers*, pick a bone with*, take the field*, scrap*, mix it up with*, hassle*, lock horns*, go to the mat*, make the fur fly*, go at it tooth and nail*, duke it out*.

   Antonyms retreat*, submit*, yield.