pugnacious
adjective
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Definition of pugnacious
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Other Words from pugnacious
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noun
Synonyms & Antonyms for pugnacious
Synonyms
aggressive, agonistic, argumentative, assaultive, bellicose, belligerent, brawly, chippy, combative, confrontational, contentious, discordant, disputatious, feisty, gladiatorial, militant, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, warlike
Antonyms
nonaggressive, nonbelligerent, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, unbelligerent, uncombative, uncontentious
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Examples of pugnacious in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bolton’s pugnacious views on military force are matched with a fiery temperament. — Washington Post, "Bolton sidelined from Afghanistan policy as his standing with Trump falters," 30 Aug. 2019 The leader, Frank Manley, is pugnacious 38-year veteran of the criminal courts in his hometown of Flint. — John Wisely, Detroit Free Press, "How a Flint court battle became Mateen Cleaves' most divisive victory," 21 Aug. 2019 When confronted about his pugnacious on-air style, O’Reilly points out that Wallace’s question is like the pot calling the kettle black. — Michael O'sullivan, Twin Cities, "Mike Wallace documentary reminds us of journalism’s power — and responsibility," 8 Aug. 2019 Social media following: Twitter: 285,000, Facebook: 104,000, Instagram: 7,300 Who will like this candidate: Voters who respond to pugnacious attacks on Trump and Republicans; those looking for a health care fix that satisfies many parties. — Quartz Staff, Quartz, "Meet all the Democratic candidates in the crowded 2020 race," 24 June 2019 But over the years, advocacy groups, often pugnacious in their criticism of powerful corporations, have occasionally lauded the company for its promises to do better. — David Yaffe-bellany, New York Times, "From Environmental Leader to ‘Worst Company in the World’," 29 July 2019 The state investigation will not dwell on Shoureshi’s pugnacious personal style or his abilities as an administrator. — oregonlive.com, "Oregon ethics commission investigating former PSU President Rahmat Shoureshi," 19 July 2019 But Blackjack wears a pugnacious Holden front end grafted to a C7 cabin that leads to the suggestion of a pickup bed. — Ezra Dyer, Popular Mechanics, "How Chevy Created the 2020 Mid-Engine Corvette," 19 July 2019 For the most part, though, Perot was a false prophet, relying on glib bromides, a pugnacious attitude and a disdain for the compromises and trade-offs that democratic government requires. — Steve Chapman, chicagotribune.com, "Column: Ross Perot paved the way for Donald Trump," 9 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pugnacious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for pugnacious
pugnacious
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of pugnacious
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