fighting spirit
5
3.9
- noun
:
espíritu de lucha
- Thus, the regulars had to rely on organizational factors and inner-generated loyalties to support their fighting spirit, such as unit pride and military discipline.
- fighting spirit of Japanese
She has a fighting spirit to get well.
- She has a fighting spirit to get well.
- I mean, but at the same time, I understand it because I understand men, You know, there's, there's a fighting spirit in all men, in most men.
- I I do feel like I, I do have some fighting spirit, but at the end of the day, I, I tell people, you know, I'm human.
- And we have, I believe, just such a fighting spirit and a we we.
Examples
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Chael Sonnen will probably never win a UFC title belt, but you can't question his fighting spirit.
Blog text (17) -
There was a tug of war going on between her fighting spirit, which could not bear the thought of surrender, and a deep desire for peace.
Fiction book (1991) -
Whatever they lack in beauty, they make up for in fighting spirit.
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What we need is fighting spirit.
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Let's give a big hand for their fighting spirit.
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But the fighting spirit remains for those who have survived.
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You want them to have a stronger fighting spirit because without a fighting spirit, you lack the will to resist.
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We owe Hillary a huge thanks for her example, perseverance, and fighting spirit.
Blog text (4) -
Commentators have often singled out "fighting spirit" as the most significant characteristic of the Japanese style of playing baseball.
Academic text (2006) -
Even in the face of adversity, her fighting spirit shone brightly as she worked hard to achieve her goals.
Synonyms
104
2.3
A person's willingness to face danger or pain without fear
34
5.3
Courage to keep going when things are hard
15
7.7
The courage and determination to keep going in hard situations
9
4.6
A person's ability to stay calm and keep trying during hard times
3
5.6
A quality of being lively and full of energy
1
7.0
A brave, determined feeling when facing danger or difficulty
1
7.0
Bravery and determination when facing danger or risk
1
4.9
Brave actions when facing danger, pain or difficulty
1
7.5
A willingness to argue or fight
1
5.1
Bravery and determination in difficult situations
1
4.5
A strong will to keep trying when things are hard
1
7.9
Courage and determination when someone faces danger or difficulty
1
6.0
Being very brave and determined when facing problems
A very strong will to keep trying when things are hard
A quality that makes someone brave and determined
A strong will to keep trying and not give up
Being willing to face danger, fear, or pain without moving away
Great courage shown when facing danger
Brave and determined actions in hard times
Antonyms
How Determined
31
6.0
142
3.0
5
3.9
46
5.5
7
5.8
110
2.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'fighting' (relating to struggle or resistance) combined with 'spirit' (disposition or character) yields a disposition to persist and show courage. This construction is cross-linguistically common (e.g., Spanish 'espíritu combativo'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The phrase fighting spirit paints a clear picture: the fighting part is the struggle, and the spirit is the inner strength that keeps a person going. So, it means having the 'determination' and 'courage' to keep trying even when things are hard.