fight-or-flight
adjective
: relating to, being, or causing physiological changes in the body (such as an increase in heart rate or dilation of bronchi) in response to stress
epinephrine is a fight-or-flight hormone
a fight-or-flight reaction
Examples of fight-or-flight in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kindness can lower cortisol, one of the hormones responsible for our fight-or-flight response.
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Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2026
Such noises can increase stress hormones like cortisol and send your body into fight-or-flight mode, raising your heart rate and blood pressure in the process.
—Laura Kiniry, Popular Science, 25 Mar. 2026
Burnout Physically Rewires How Your Body Rests When the nervous system stays in a prolonged fight-or-flight state, sleep becomes lighter, digestion slows, and the body deprioritizes repair.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Burnout and the Mental Load When the nervous system stays in a prolonged fight-or-flight state, sleep becomes lighter, digestion slows, and restorative processes are deprioritized.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fight-or-flight
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Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2026
Such noises can increase stress hormones like cortisol and send your body into fight-or-flight mode, raising your heart rate and blood pressure in the process.
—Laura Kiniry, Popular Science, 25 Mar. 2026
Burnout Physically Rewires How Your Body Rests When the nervous system stays in a prolonged fight-or-flight state, sleep becomes lighter, digestion slows, and the body deprioritizes repair.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Burnout and the Mental Load When the nervous system stays in a prolonged fight-or-flight state, sleep becomes lighter, digestion slows, and restorative processes are deprioritized.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fight-or-flight
Cite this Entry
“Fight-or-flight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fight-or-flight. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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