Feuer mit Feuer bekämpfen

/ˈfɔʏɐ̯ mɪt ˈfɔʏɐ̯ bəˈkɛmp͡fn̩/◆idiom

to fight fire with fire

Manchmal muss man Feuer mit Feuer bekämpfen, um sich zu verteidigen.

Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire to defend yourself.

◆ What It Really Means

To confront or counter an aggressive or hostile action with a similar or stronger response, often as a defensive or strategic move.

¶ Literal Meaning

To fight fire with fire (literally using fire to extinguish fire).

Literal Breakdown

Feuerfire+mitwith+Feuerfire+bekämpfento fight

◇ Mental Image

The mental image is of using fire to combat fire, which can be counterintuitive but is sometimes effective in firefighting.

◈ When to Use

A company might decide to 'fight fire with fire' by launching a competing product to counter a rival's market dominance.

◉ Cultural Note

This phrase reflects a pragmatic approach to conflict, acknowledging that sometimes the best defense is a strong offense.

informal

To respond to aggression or hostility with equal or greater force, often as a strategic or defensive measure.

Die Regierung beschloss, die Terroranschläge mit Feuer mit Feuer zu bekämpfen.

The government decided to fight terrorism with fire with fire.

This idiom is often used metaphorically to describe confronting a problem or opponent with the same tactics they use.

Synonyms

to return fire

This phrase is often used in discussions about conflict resolution, military strategy, or competitive situations.

The phrase originates from the literal practice of using controlled burns to stop wildfires, which was a common firefighting technique in the past.

This idiom is commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts, particularly in discussions about conflict, strategy, or self-defense.

Feuer

fire

root

mit

with

preposition

bekämpfen

to fight

verb

Deutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch