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fighter

fighter

682 2.8
A person who fights for a cause or as a job
  • noun
  • /ˈfaɪtər/
translation icon : combatiente
  • The brave fighter stood up against injustice, fighting for the rights of his people.
  • freedom fighters
  • foreign fighters
  • guerrilla fighters

No, Daniel Cormier is a cage fighter, prize fighter.

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Examples

  • I come from a family of fighters of those who persevere.

  • But they are still not half the fighters this Orde has managed to bring in.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Do you know who his favorite fighters to watch were?

  • All my friends are fighters.

  • It's so hard to compare fighters across generations.

  • 'Cause I've always been a fighter

  • I know you don't know me, but I know fighters.

  • And I've had many world champions on here, fighters, whatever.

  • Braddock now looks like the younger fighter... and grimly determined.

  • Like I'm a pretty skillful fighter, but that didn't come naturally.

Synonyms

warrior
vsfighter
3.9

A person who fights in battles as part of an army

is broader, also including single-person fighters and nonmilitary causes
boxer
vsfighter
106 1.0

A person who fights using their fists in a sport with rules

is broader, including non-sport and cause-related fighting
combatant
vsfighter
61 5.6

A person who takes part in fighting, often a soldier in a war

is more general, also covering nonwar or professional fight roles
gladiator
vsfighter
61 7.4

A man trained to fight other people or wild animals with weapons in ancient Roman arenas for public show

is general, covering modern and varied fighting contexts beyond spectacle
freedom fighter
vsfighter
30 3.7

A person who uses weapons against a government to gain independence or basic rights

is broader, covering any person who fights for a cause or as a job
fighter pilot
vsfighter
  • Specialized
29 4.0

A person who flies military combat planes

is broader, applying to any person who fights on foot or for causes
bullfighter
vsfighter
  • NSFW
14 6.3

A person who fights bulls in public shows in Spain or Mexico

is general, not limited to this cultural or animal-based practice
paladin
vsfighter
  • Literature
10 9.9

A brave person who fights for a good cause

is more general, not limited to noble or chivalric purpose
brawler
vsfighter
8 6.2

A person who fights roughly in places like bars

includes calmer or formal fighters and those fighting for causes
prizefighter
vsfighter
7 6.0

A boxer who fights for money

is wider, including noncompetitive or cause-based fighting roles
puncher
vsfighter
6 4.3

A person who hits people with their fist, often in boxing

is more general, covering fighters who use other methods too
scrapper
vsfighter
  • Informal
6 7.9

A person who gets into fights and does not back down

is broader, including organised or cause-based fighting rather than readiness alone
warfighter
vsfighter
  • Jargon
5 7.2

A person who fights in war or on military missions

covers that military role but also nonmilitary or cause-driven fighters
pugilist
vsfighter
4 8.5

A person who fights with their fists, often as a professional boxer

is more general, not restricted to fist fighting or sport
kickboxer
vsfighter
4 3.6

A person who fights with their hands and feet in a sport

is wider, covering all kinds of fighting beyond this sport
battler
vsfighter
4 6.0

A person who fights in a battle or keeps fighting through hard times

focuses more on literal fighting as a job or for a cause
fierce warrior
vsfighter
3 4.1

A person who fights bravely and with great force in battle

is more general, covering any person who fights for a cause or job
belligerent
vsfighter
2 8.1

A person, group, or country taking part in a war

is more personal, focusing on an individual who fights for a cause or job
street fighter
vsfighter
1 6.2

A person who fights well in street fights without formal training

is more general, covering both trained professionals and cause fighters
duelist
vsfighter
1 8.4

A person who fights someone with weapons to settle an argument or protect honor

is broader, not limited to formal duels or honor contests
mauler
vsfighter
1 7.9

A fighter who hits opponents very hard, often a boxer

is broader, also including disciplined or cause-driven fighting styles
real bruiser
vsfighter
  • Informal
1 7.5

A person who is very strong and tough, like a boxer or a team defender

is more general, including nonphysical or organised fight roles
warrioress
vsfighter
8.6

A woman who fights strongly for a cause she believes in

is wider, including both cause fighters and nonmilitary combatants
gladiatrix
vsfighter
9.9

A woman who fights hard to win in business, politics, or debate

is more literal, covering actual fighting roles and causes
7.0

A trained person who fights in boxing matches for money

is general, covering both paid athletes and cause-driven fighters
pugil
vsfighter
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who fights with fists, like a boxer

is the neutral modern label covering both literary and everyday fighters
infighter
vsfighter
  • Jargon
7.0

A boxer who fights very close, using short punches and moving their body

is broader, not restricted to a specific fighting distance or style
slogger
vsfighter
  • Jargon
9.2

A boxer who hits with very strong, heavy punches

is wider, including fighters valued for skill or cause, not just power

Antonyms

28 5.5

A person who opposes war and refuses to use violence

1 7.3

Not taking part in fighting, especially for civilians during war

Idioms

7.9

To pick a person or character to represent you in a game

Compounds

A person who uses weapons against a government to gain independence or basic rights

fighter pilot
  • Specialized
29 4.0

A person who flies military combat planes

stealth fighter
  • Specialized
8 7.4

A military plane that avoids radar and carries weapons

fighter aircraft
  • Specialized
4 4.4

A fast military airplane that attacks enemy planes

A person who fights well in street fights without formal training

deadline fighter
  • Informal
5.5

A person who works best under pressure to meet tight deadlines

A person who fights fires in forests to protect trees and land

A person who uses aggressive, unfair methods to win in business or politics

How Fierce

brawler
8 6.2
warrior
3.9
fighter
682 2.8
soldier
1.1

Surface Forms

fighter singular
fighters plural

Morphology

fighter = fight (transparent) = fight + er

Standard agentive formation from the verb 'fight' meaning 'one who fights'; meaning is directly derived and obvious to learners.

Etymology

The word fighter comes from the simple verb fight ('to struggle or use force') plus the ending -er ('one who does something'), so a fighter literally means 'one who fights'.