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Fight-or-flight
01
an automatic reaction to a threat, choosing either to confront it aggressively or escape
Idiom
Grammatical Information
Animacy status
Abstract
Composition
Compound
Uncountable
What does "fight-or-flight" mean in behavioral slang?
The term "fight-or-flight" refers to an instinctive psychological and physiological response to perceived danger or stress, where a person either confronts the threat ("fight") or avoids it ("flight"). The structure comes from behavioral science and physiology, describing a built-in survival mechanism triggered by adrenaline. It is commonly used in everyday speech and psychology contexts to explain sudden panic responses or heightened alertness under pressure.
Examples
I went into fight-or-flight when the client questioned my proposal.
