as in boxers
one that engages in the sport of fighting with the fists
a pugilist with the trademark of the boxing ring: a nose that showed signs of having been broken on more than one occasion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pugilists
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 -
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
Noun
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Truck traditionalists and forum gladiators will argue this, of course.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
31 Mar. 2026
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Thousands of Romans once flocked to this arena to watch gladiators battle each other and wild animals.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Pugilists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pugilists. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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