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fighting
/ˈfaɪ.tɪŋ/
What does "fighting" mean?
physical or verbal conflictThe two boxers were fighting in the ring.
The boxers were engaged in a physical struggle.
How to use "fighting" correctly?
general
engaging in a physical struggle or combat.
The children were fighting over the last cookie.
The children were arguing and struggling for possession of the cookie.
figurative
a determined effort to achieve something.
Her fighting spirit helped her overcome the illness.
Her determination and resilience helped her recover.
Often used in motivational or inspirational contexts.
Sports
a boxing match or other combat sport event.
Tonight's fighting features two top-ranked heavyweight boxers.
The boxing event tonight includes matches between top-ranked heavyweight boxers.
Collocations
fighting chancea reasonable opportunity to succeedfighting spiritdetermination and resiliencestreet fightingphysical combat in public places
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context Matters
The meaning of 'fighting' depends heavily on context. It can refer to physical conflict, a determined effort, or a sports match. Pay attention to surrounding words to determine the intended meaning.
Gold Rule
Verb vs. Noun
As a verb form, 'fighting' often describes an ongoing action (e.g., 'They are fighting'). As a noun, it can refer to the act itself (e.g., 'The fighting stopped at dawn').
Word Origin
From Middle English 'fyghten' (to fight), from Old English 'feohtan', derived from Proto-Germanic '*feuhtijaną', ultimately from Proto-Indo-European '*pewk-' (to strike). The gerund form '-ing' was added to denote the action itself.
Usage Notes
Can function as a noun (e.g., 'The fighting lasted for hours') or a verb form (e.g., 'They were fighting fiercely'). In sports contexts, often refers to combat sports like boxing or MMA.
Word Breakdown
fight
to engage in conflict or struggle
root-ing
denotes the action or result of the root verb
suffixEnglish Dictionary