as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
a movie reviewer who is spirited, even pugnacious, when defending her opinions
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pugnacious
Paul is pugnacious, especially with the detectives when his criminal past prompts them to question him as a possible suspect.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025
The new man likely will bring a tad of pugnacious energy that is needed to the club.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
Lai, a pugnacious former publisher whose now shuttered tabloid Apple Daily was a regular thorn in Beijing’s side, is in the midst of a national security trial that could send him to prison for life.
—Juliana Liu, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
My room, tricked out in shades of mushroom, opened onto a hallway covered in its original wallpaper, depicting a sea battle complete with roiling water, boats full of pugnacious sailors, and, in the background, a dusky landscape of ancient ruins.
—Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pugnacious
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025
The new man likely will bring a tad of pugnacious energy that is needed to the club.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
Lai, a pugnacious former publisher whose now shuttered tabloid Apple Daily was a regular thorn in Beijing’s side, is in the midst of a national security trial that could send him to prison for life.
—Juliana Liu, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
My room, tricked out in shades of mushroom, opened onto a hallway covered in its original wallpaper, depicting a sea battle complete with roiling water, boats full of pugnacious sailors, and, in the background, a dusky landscape of ancient ruins.
—Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pugnacious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pugnacious
Adjective
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Addressing the Obvious Critiques Yes, 3–4% real growth is aggressive.—
Don Muir,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
After the aggressive animal showed no signs of leaving, the woman’s boyfriend fatally shot it, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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The aid group accused Hamas of carrying out the assault; the militant group has not yet responded to the allegations.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
12 June 2025
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Some activists have been criticized for spreading messages seen as antisemitic or outright supportive of militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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That’s coupled with a more hostile political environment for diversity-forward businesses.—
Phoebe Liu,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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The crowd was right on top of you there, the students rimmed the court, the very definition of a hostile environment.—
Jim Calhoun with Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
The contentious professional relationship between billionaire Elon Musk and President Donald Trump has seemingly come to an end.—
Maria Gracia Santillana Linares,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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One particularly contentious confrontation occurred at a Home Depot in the heavily Latino city of Paramount, just outside Los Angeles.—
Joe Hernandez,
NPR,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pugnacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pugnacious. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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