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Region: General | Usage example: The campaign decided to fight fire with fire after the opponent's ad blitz.

Fight fire with fire

Meaning

Respond to an attack with similar tactics.

Usage

Used to justify mirror strategies in competition.

Origin & History

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Firefighting advice about using backfires to contain wildfires.

Adopted metaphorically in military and business writing.