1
: a fight between dogs
broadly
: a fiercely disputed contest
2
: a fight between two or more fighter planes usually at close quarters
dogfight
intransitive verb
Synonyms
Examples of dogfight in a Sentence
He was shot down in a dogfight over enemy territory.
The election has turned into a real dogfight.
Recent Examples on the Web
This is a season of TV full of adventure, lightsaber fights, and space dogfights, but also a season that brings back a childlike sense of wonder and humor to a franchise that had become a bit too somber.
—
Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2025
It is normally carried by jet fighters for dogfights, with a range of around 20 miles.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
This isn't always a bad thing; one pilot's instability is often another's idea of extreme agility, and in the era of the dogfight, the ability to turn on a dime was such an enormous advantage that some of the best aircraft were notoriously touchy at the stick.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 1 Dec. 2024
The Knicks concluded their four-game, eight-day swing with a trip to Atlanta to face the Hawks, and after winning in Miami and Detroit, then losing in Houston, the Knicks found themselves in a dogfight on Wednesday.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dogfight 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2025
It is normally carried by jet fighters for dogfights, with a range of around 20 miles.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
This isn't always a bad thing; one pilot's instability is often another's idea of extreme agility, and in the era of the dogfight, the ability to turn on a dime was such an enormous advantage that some of the best aircraft were notoriously touchy at the stick.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 1 Dec. 2024
The Knicks concluded their four-game, eight-day swing with a trip to Atlanta to face the Hawks, and after winning in Miami and Detroit, then losing in Houston, the Knicks found themselves in a dogfight on Wednesday.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dogfight
Dictionary Entries Near dogfight
Cite this Entry
“Dogfight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dogfight. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share