Defend
Defend verb - Fight against or resist strongly.
Fight back is a synonym for defend. In some cases you can use "Fight back" instead the word "Defend" as a verb or a noun.
Fight back
Mutual synonyms
Both terms in one sentence
- Much less heard of, but this also happens between an abusive parent and the child they abused when said child finally becomes big enough to fight back or defend him/herself.
Source: The Dog Bites Back / Real Life - They tell him that if he doesn't take what the guy dishes out to him, if he makes any move to fight back or defend himself, they'll let the guard who threatened Leia earlier rape her.
- Tallus did not even fight back, he just kept trying to defend himself against an unprovoked attack against an angry drunk god.
Source: Light Is Not Good / Video Games
Cite this Source
Fight back and Defend. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/defend/fight_back
Defend & Fight back. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/defend/fight_back>.
Fight back or Defend. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/defend/fight_back.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "defend" and "fight back" have occurred on timeline