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Fight Fire with Fire

What Does "Fight Fire with Fire" Mean?

homeidiomsFight Fire with Fire
"Fight fire with fire" is an English idiom. It means "to respond to aggression with aggression; to counter harshly."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "fight fire with fire" used in a sentence:
  • If they play dirty, we'll fight fire with fire.
  • She's aggressive in court, always ready to fight fire with fire.
  • Sometimes the best defense is to fight fire with fire.
meaning for fight fire with fire

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Fight Fire with Fire" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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