She found herself in a life-or-death situation and had to fight for her life.
survival instinct
Frequency:
70
%
In a fight for one's life, the survival instinct kicks in.
intense battle
Frequency:
65
%
The intense battle for survival lasted for hours.
desperate struggle
Frequency:
60
%
He was engaged in a desperate struggle for his life.
Idiomatic Expressions for a fight for one's life
Phrase: a literal fight for one's life
Meaning: a situation where one must physically defend oneself in order to survive
Usage: The victim had to engage in a literal fight for his life when he was attacked by a wild animal.