fight off

phrasal verb

fought off; fighting off; fights off

: to defend oneself against (someone or something) by fighting or struggling : to avoid being harmed or overcome by (someone or something) by fighting or struggling

They fought off the attack/attackers.

I'm trying to fight off a cold.

Examples of fight off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Watch: Quail fights off snake in effort to protect eggs In the Tucson footage captured by an outdoor camera, a quail is seen fighting a snake attempting to get the eggs in her nest. —Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2024

While paddling down the St. Johns River near Orlando, Tyler Futrell saw a black bear fighting off a pair of alligators in the middle of the river. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 6 June 2024

During the November armed robbery, prosecutors said Wingate was shot in the neck while trying to fight off the two men in a Washington, D.C., parking garage. —Daniella Segura, Miami Herald, 4 June 2024

With Michael and Moll in the Progenitors’ realm, Discovery fought off a swarm of Breen combat fighter ships by firing a slew of photon torpedoes that ignited the surrounding area. —Jp Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 30 May 2024