be fought for

USAGE SUMMARY

"be fought for" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when referring to a struggle or cause that requires significant effort and/or dedication. For example, "The right to freedom of speech must be fought for every day."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Unity must be fought for.

The New York Times - Arts

It has to be fought for.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Every inch forward has to be fought for".

The New York Times

Such rights are always contested and must be fought for.

The Guardian

Sometimes these rights have to be fought for.

The Guardian - Music

More wide-reaching changes have to be fought for elsewhere.

The Guardian - Opinion

Equality is unnatural and must be fought for.

The Guardian - Opinion

Freedom, he added, has to be fought for.

The Guardian - Opinion

This was something that had to be fought for.

The Guardian

Was the war going to be fought for freedom or to preserve the Union?

The New York Times

The war will continue to be fought for some time to come".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be fought for" when you want to emphasize the necessity of effort and determination in achieving or maintaining something, especially in the face of opposition or challenges.

Common error

Avoid using "be fought for" when the active voice would be more direct and impactful. For example, instead of "The changes need to be fought for," consider "We must fight for the changes."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be fought for" functions as a passive construction, indicating that something requires effort and struggle to obtain or maintain. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in contexts where rights, freedoms, or ideals require active defense.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "be fought for" is a grammatically correct and widely used phrase that signifies the need for effort and struggle to achieve or maintain something. According to Ludwig AI, it is suitable for use in written English when referring to causes that demand dedication. Its prevalence across news, science, and formal business contexts underscores its versatility, while its passive construction allows emphasis to be placed on the cause or object being defended. While related phrases like "be defended" or "be advocated" offer similar meanings, they carry slightly different connotations. Remember to consider the active voice as a more direct alternative in certain contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be defended

Focuses on the act of protecting something already possessed or attained.

be advocated

Emphasizes the act of publicly supporting or recommending a cause or idea.

be striven for

Highlights the effort and determination required to achieve a goal.

be struggled for

Implies a difficult and prolonged effort to attain something.

be championed

Suggests acting as a strong and vocal supporter of a cause or person.

be worked towards

Emphasizes the ongoing effort and progress towards a specific objective.

be pursued

Focuses on actively seeking or trying to achieve something.

be contested

Highlights the aspect of opposition or dispute in the pursuit of something.

be warranted

Focuses on whether something is justified or necessary.

be upheld

Emphasizes the need to maintain or defend principles or standards.

FAQs

How can I use "be fought for" in a sentence?

You can use "be fought for" to indicate that something requires significant effort and struggle to achieve or maintain. For example, "Freedom must "be fought for"".

What are some alternatives to "be fought for"?

Some alternatives include "be defended", "be advocated", or "be striven for", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use "fight for" instead of "be fought for"?

It depends on the context. "Fight for" is an active voice construction that places emphasis on the actor, while ""be fought for"" is passive and emphasizes the object or cause being defended.

What does it mean when something has to "be fought for"?

It means that achieving or maintaining that thing requires significant effort, struggle, and possibly overcoming opposition. It implies that it is not easily obtained or guaranteed.