as in pugnacious
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Recent Examples of hyperaggressive
Goetz had on his side Barry Slotnick, a hyperaggressive defense lawyer who represented clients as varied as John Gotti and the Lubavitchers.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Auburn surprisingly sat out the quarterback transfer market a year ago but was hyperaggressive at the position this winter.
—Antonio Morales, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Few may be as hyperaggressive as the officers who killed Nichols, but their fear and belligerence can still evoke a reciprocal urge in a driver to talk back or flee, sparking a deadly cycle.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2023
The committee had squeezed donors with hyperaggressive new tactics.
—Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2022
Their hyperaggressive driving was deranged, but unfortunately not unusual.
—William Falk, The Week, 14 Aug. 2021
Unsurprisingly, most available evidence suggests that their style of hyperaggressive diplomacy wasn’t winning friends.
—Washington Post, 3 June 2021
Not only does the US have to contend with more contagious COVID variants from the UK and South Africa, but a hyperaggressive relaxation of COVID safety guidelines could spur additional outbreaks in the near future.
—Yoni Heisler, BGR, 16 Mar. 2021
This laid a baseline for effective appeals, but neither man put forth a vision for America’s future, except for brief moments separated by long stretches of interruptions, insults and invective, often from the hyperaggressive president.
—Karl Rove, WSJ, 30 Sep. 2020
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Auburn surprisingly sat out the quarterback transfer market a year ago but was hyperaggressive at the position this winter.
—Antonio Morales, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Few may be as hyperaggressive as the officers who killed Nichols, but their fear and belligerence can still evoke a reciprocal urge in a driver to talk back or flee, sparking a deadly cycle.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2023
The committee had squeezed donors with hyperaggressive new tactics.
—Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2022
Their hyperaggressive driving was deranged, but unfortunately not unusual.
—William Falk, The Week, 14 Aug. 2021
Unsurprisingly, most available evidence suggests that their style of hyperaggressive diplomacy wasn’t winning friends.
—Washington Post, 3 June 2021
Not only does the US have to contend with more contagious COVID variants from the UK and South Africa, but a hyperaggressive relaxation of COVID safety guidelines could spur additional outbreaks in the near future.
—Yoni Heisler, BGR, 16 Mar. 2021
This laid a baseline for effective appeals, but neither man put forth a vision for America’s future, except for brief moments separated by long stretches of interruptions, insults and invective, often from the hyperaggressive president.
—Karl Rove, WSJ, 30 Sep. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hyperaggressive
Adjective
-
Williamson’s pugnacious lyrics are grounded in manual labor and local indignities, but Planet X’s malaise transcends any neighborhood or job site, toeing the line between angst and grievance.—
Pete Tosiello,
Pitchfork,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Kimmel reasserted his place as the most pugnacious of the late-night hosts during his first week back.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Attorney General Pam Bondi sparred with Democrats about her year-long tenure at the Department of Justice, in a combative, hours-long hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.—
Elena Moore,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Here are seven key takeaways from the combative hearing.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Ludwig’s distant paternal ancestors were in fact German Jewish merchants, not warlike princes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
-
To many Chicagoans, the warlike atmosphere is the result of the increasing aggression of the federal government.—
Geraldo Cadava,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
But his belligerent foreign policy once again overshadowed his attempts at a cohesive economic message.—
Danielle Kurtzleben,
NPR,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Lately, the president has revisited his preoccupation with annexing Greenland in an increasingly belligerent manner.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Iranian foreign minister’s bellicose words should not be considered mere rhetoric, Vali Nasr, a professor of international affairs and Middle East studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, told us.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Trump’s comments were the latest in a series of recent statements and moves by him and the White House that have sought to dial back his administration’s initially bellicose comments on Pretti’s killing on Saturday in Minneapolis.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In the meantime, an unstable government could become more rather than less aggressive, not least to keep younger hard-liners from rebelling.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Wiener helped push two new California laws last year — the No Secret Police Act and the No Vigilantes Act — in the wake of intense and aggressive immigration enforcement by masked ICE and other federal agents in California and around the country.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Pursuing a double major—especially in two demanding or loosely connected fields—can, in some circumstances, come across as idealistic, unfocused, or overambitious.—
Christopher Rim,
Forbes.com,
13 Jan. 2026
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Meanwhile, the automaker's current lineup and product strategy feels both tired and overambitious.—
Aarian Marshall,
Wired News,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The team aimed to recreate this kind of dynamic control in a soft, synthetic material using digital design rather than complex biological systems.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The dynamic looks slightly different for photographer Swapnil Junjare.—
Nikita Khanna,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hyperaggressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hyperaggressive. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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