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aggress

verb
ag·​gress | \ ə-ˈgres How to pronounce aggress (audio) \
aggressed; aggressing; aggresses

Definition of aggress

intransitive verb

: to commit aggression : act aggressively
Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about aggress

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Did You Know?

Aggress and its more familiar relatives, "aggression" and "aggressive," derive from the Latin verb aggredi, meaning "to approach, attack, or undertake." When "aggress" was first used in English in the 16th century, it meant "to approach," but that use is now obsolete. The current meaning of the word has been with us since the early 18th century. Back then, the noun "aggress" ("an attack") appeared occasionally as well, but time has relegated that use to obsolescence, too.

Examples of aggress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Boyish, long-haired young Getty seems very much at home here, sparring good-naturedly with some ladies of the night before being aggressed and whisked away. — Todd Mccarthy, The Hollywood Reporter, "'All the Money in the World': Film Review," 19 Dec. 2017 In that time Moscow also aggressed against countries far closer to central Europe, such as Hungary, and did far more in the way of destabilizing democracies. — Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, "Let Ukraine Defend Itself," 16 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aggress.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of aggress

1708, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for aggress

in part borrowed from Latin adgressus, aggressus, past participle of adgredī, aggredī "to approach, attack, undertake," from ad- ad- + gradī "to step, go"; in part back-formation from aggression — more at grade entry 1

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More from Merriam-Webster on aggress

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with aggress

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