Standard Lemma guide

infight

noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An internal battle; a fight with allies or other members of the same group.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To fight with allies or other members of the same group.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To box while extremely close to an opponent

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: boxing, government, hobbies, lifestyle, martial-arts, military, politics, sports, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Apparently a back-formation from infighting, perhaps continuing Middle English infighten (“to attack”), from Old English infiht, infeoht (“an attack made upon a person by another in the same house or between members of a household”), equivalent to in- + fight. Compare Middle English infiht (“an internal fight, a brawl within a household”).

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 窩裡鬥 /窝里斗 (wo1 leoi5 dau3) — fight with allies
  • Chinese Mandarin: 窩裡鬥 /窝里斗 (wōlǐdòu) — fight with allies