combative
adjective
com·bat·ive
kəm-ˈba-tiv 
: marked by eagerness to fight or contend
combatively
adverb
combativeness
noun
Examples of combative in a Sentence
When the police tried to arrest him, he became combative.
channeling his naturally combative impulses into sports
Recent Examples on the Web
The president often has chosen a combative approach, even excoriating Democrats during the bipartisan prayer breakfast this year, Upton noted.
—
Zac Anderson, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
Meyer, an at-times combative career litigator, was brought in from the NHL Players Association in 2018 to add muscle to a bargaining team that was viewed as having surrendered ground in the negotiations for the 2017-2021 CBA, which was almost immediately panned as a loss for the players.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Known for being a staunch player advocate and for his sometimes combative demeanor, Meyer was unanimously elected in a vote of major- and minor-league players held during a video meeting Wednesday afternoon.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Its opponents accuse it of fueling violence and tensions with its combative politics.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combative
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Zac Anderson, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026
Meyer, an at-times combative career litigator, was brought in from the NHL Players Association in 2018 to add muscle to a bargaining team that was viewed as having surrendered ground in the negotiations for the 2017-2021 CBA, which was almost immediately panned as a loss for the players.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Known for being a staunch player advocate and for his sometimes combative demeanor, Meyer was unanimously elected in a vote of major- and minor-league players held during a video meeting Wednesday afternoon.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Its opponents accuse it of fueling violence and tensions with its combative politics.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combative
Cite this Entry
“Combative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/combative. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
