as in boxers
one that engages in the sport of fighting with the fists
the two punch-drunk gladiators stumbled to their corners
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gladiators
Truck traditionalists and forum gladiators will argue this, of course.
—
New Atlas, 31 Mar. 2026
Thousands of Romans once flocked to this arena to watch gladiators battle each other and wild animals.
—ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
Researchers using advanced imaging technology have deciphered 79 previously invisible inscriptions — including love notes, drawings of gladiators, and everyday messages — on a wall in the ancient city of Pompeii, offering a rare window into the lives of ordinary people nearly 2,000 years ago.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
In these unedifying spectacles, the lion was just one of a host of large creatures, from wolves to giraffes, that were released into an amphitheater to be hunted down by specialist gladiators known as bestiarii.
—Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
There were dancing gladiators and moka pots, a phalanx of runway models dressed (in Armani) in green, white and red, to represent the Italian flag.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Ashur’s gladiators, especially the ambitious Tarchon (Jordi Webber) and Korris, are eager to bask in the notoriety, riches and freedoms a champion status would bring them.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 1 Dec. 2025
That is gladiators without swords.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
That is gladiators without swords.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 8 Oct. 2025
New Atlas, 31 Mar. 2026
Thousands of Romans once flocked to this arena to watch gladiators battle each other and wild animals.
—ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
Researchers using advanced imaging technology have deciphered 79 previously invisible inscriptions — including love notes, drawings of gladiators, and everyday messages — on a wall in the ancient city of Pompeii, offering a rare window into the lives of ordinary people nearly 2,000 years ago.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
In these unedifying spectacles, the lion was just one of a host of large creatures, from wolves to giraffes, that were released into an amphitheater to be hunted down by specialist gladiators known as bestiarii.
—Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
There were dancing gladiators and moka pots, a phalanx of runway models dressed (in Armani) in green, white and red, to represent the Italian flag.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Ashur’s gladiators, especially the ambitious Tarchon (Jordi Webber) and Korris, are eager to bask in the notoriety, riches and freedoms a champion status would bring them.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 1 Dec. 2025
That is gladiators without swords.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
That is gladiators without swords.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladiators
Noun
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Like boxers in an early round of a bout, both sides spent about the first 20 minutes feeling each other out.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
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Echoing a similar point is former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who has criticized the current landscape for boxers as stagnant and unfavorable, especially for boxers who aren’t stars.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Epic Fury opened with the most exquisite tools available—stealth bombers, stealth fighters, electronic attack, cyberwar, long-range cruise missiles and penetrating munitions.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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Nearby are paintings of animal-human hybrids by the Danish artist Ovartaci and a 2022 video environment by Christopher Kulendran Thomas, which includes what appears to be footage of Tamil independence fighters and a deepfake of Kim Kardashian.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gladiators.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladiators. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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