as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the playful competition over who would get the new office turned into a real dogfight
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dogfight
The Bucks don’t have any other options outside of continuing to fight, and that is going to be a tough task after playing a knock-down-drag-out dogfight of a game across 53 minutes on Friday.
—
Eric Nehm, The Athletic, 27 Apr. 2024
Until offensive coordinators figure out a way to counter Cover 2, fans may want to dial back their appetite for the aerial dogfights that have characterized the last two decades of NFL Sundays.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Sep. 2024
The Dodgers have been in a dogfight with San Diego and Arizona for the division all summer, so Roberts hasn’t had the luxury of giving Lux a longer leash against left-handers.
—Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024
Harris and Trump in a ‘dogfight’ in the election’s final stretch
Former President Donald Trump; Vice President Kamala Harris.
—Kaylah Jackson, NBC News, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dogfight 
Eric Nehm, The Athletic, 27 Apr. 2024
Until offensive coordinators figure out a way to counter Cover 2, fans may want to dial back their appetite for the aerial dogfights that have characterized the last two decades of NFL Sundays.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Sep. 2024
The Dodgers have been in a dogfight with San Diego and Arizona for the division all summer, so Roberts hasn’t had the luxury of giving Lux a longer leash against left-handers.
—Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024
Harris and Trump in a ‘dogfight’ in the election’s final stretch
Former President Donald Trump; Vice President Kamala Harris.
—Kaylah Jackson, NBC News, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dogfight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dogfight
Noun
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While opposed by every government in the region, ISIS-K has exploited insecurity and international rivalries to entrench itself as one of the world's deadliest and most unpredictable non-state actors in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
19 Jan. 2025
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But Kendrick did not have to straddle a white-hot rivalry like Velazquez.—
Matt Baker,
The Athletic,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, more borrower-friendly regulations for the Borrower Defense to Repayment program remain stuck in a legal battle.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
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Rose served in the band from its inception in 1977 to 2017, after Willis regained 50 percent of the copyright to the band in a protracted legal battle.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The game figures to be tight, and for a while now, coach Andy Reid’s Chiefs have been winning such duels.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Jan. 2025
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His brawn did not correlate with a ranking in the bottom seven per cent of defenders from Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won and in the bottom one per cent for tackles won.—
Jacob Tanswell,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Making better use of A.I., Mr. Burns said, is crucial to the U.S. competition with China.—
Julian E. Barnes,
New York Times,
18 Jan. 2025
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Howe’s men will share the club record of nine consecutive victories across all competitions with Kevin Keegan’s vintage (May to September 1994) and Rafa Benitez’s Championship-winning side (September to November 2016).—
Chris Waugh,
The Athletic,
18 Jan. 2025
Noun
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His position once again puts him in charge of the world’s most powerful military, which -- often at his discretion -- can either engage in lethal warfare or act as a deterrent and a force for peace.—
Ian Pannell,
ABC News,
22 Jan. 2025
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Author of 'Swarm Troopers: How small drones will conquer the world,' following cutting-edge military technology in general and the drone warfare revolution in particular.—
David Hambling,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Gaza conflict did raise the Palestinian issue — the long struggle for independence after decades of Israeli occupation and repression — on the world stage.—
Tracy Wilkinson,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Jan. 2025
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Sly Stone's struggles with cocaine have been well documented, even, at times, eclipsing his achievements as an artist.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In the early days of the war, Israel ordered a mass evacuation of northern Gaza and quickly sealed off the area after ground troops advanced.—
Joel Thayer,
Newsweek,
27 Jan. 2025
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The Mets signed the right fielder last month after a high-stakes bidding war that also included the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
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An Israeli soldier was injured in the confrontation, the military said.—
Matthew Mpoke Bigg,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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The two still-unidentified men reportedly talked about being armed and tried to provoke a confrontation.—
Robert Salonga,
The Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near dogfight
Cite this Entry
“Dogfight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dogfight. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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