variants
also bare-knuckled
or bare-knuckles
as in gladiatorial
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bare-knuckle
California’s decision to redraw its congressional map to flip as many as five House seats to Democrats in November is poised to play a big and potentially decisive role in the nation’s broader, bare-knuckle fight for control of Congress.
—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
For Republicans, despite victories in a bare-knuckle redistricting war, the House already looks lost.
—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
29 May 2026
In the co-main event, fan favorite Nate Diaz battled Mike Perry, of bare-knuckle boxing fame, in a two-round banger filled with far more blood than any display of the jiu-jitsu that propelled Diaz to stardom.
—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
This kind of bare-knuckle politics might explain why so many other GOP leaders are uneasy.
—
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bare-knuckle
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
For Republicans, despite victories in a bare-knuckle redistricting war, the House already looks lost.
—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
29 May 2026
In the co-main event, fan favorite Nate Diaz battled Mike Perry, of bare-knuckle boxing fame, in a two-round banger filled with far more blood than any display of the jiu-jitsu that propelled Diaz to stardom.
—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
This kind of bare-knuckle politics might explain why so many other GOP leaders are uneasy.
—
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bare-knuckle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare-knuckle
- gladiatorial
- in-your-face
- combative
- pugnacious
- confrontational
- take-no-prisoners
- belligerent
- blood-and-guts
Adjective
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Many people have noted the similarities to ancient gladiatorial contests.
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Some critics view gladiatorial displays of violence as inappropriate for a historic anniversary and complain that the spectacle hits a discordant note amid war in Iran and rising prices.
Adjective
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To rebuild trust with the public, companies need to move away from the intrusive, in-your-face approach to AI.
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There are other ways to unsettle a penalty taker without being as in-your-face as Martinez.
Adjective
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The release says a 29-year-old man became combative with first responders, and a paramedic shot him.
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Too good to be a benchwarmer, in a starting line-up, the Brazilian’s all-action qualities may align best with Rice to give Arsenal another combative and forward-thinking option in their engine room.
Adjective
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Vance, who privately voiced his concerns about conflict with Iran in the lead-up to the war, is pugnacious and transactional.
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That stretch included a famously pugnacious friendly with Australia in which Pochettino challenged his players at halftime to raise their level of competitiveness.
Adjective
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There's a confrontational moment between Tom and Mary for the first time.
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Others could find your go-getter approach refreshing, while some may experience it as confrontational.
Adjective
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All eight club tracks follow the same basic template, one cribbed from Midwestern producers like Boo Williams and Paul Johnson, as well as early, ravey Daft Punk and, in particular, the take-no-prisoners cutups of Germany’s Soundhack.
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And Childress got an Earnhardt descendant in Busch — a driver who some considered a villain for his take-no-prisoners style, a father, an all-time great who for the longest time couldn’t win the biggest race of them all.
Adjective
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When authenticity becomes uncompromising, candor turns belligerent, consistency becomes rigid, or principled decision-making morphs into dogmatism, even the best intentions can backfire.
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Athens was a belligerent city-state that fell victim to its own aggressions.
Adjective
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However, fighters in the UFC seem to get caught up in trying to appease the casuals who can only appreciate blood-and-guts wars.
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Dawn of the Dead's flood of blood-and-guts is among the most memorable in film history, if only for the unnaturally vivid shades of red.
Cite this Entry
“Bare-knuckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare-knuckle. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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