combative
adjective
com·bat·ive
kəm-ˈba-tiv 
: marked by eagerness to fight or contend
combatively
adverb
combativeness
noun
Examples of combative in a Sentence
When the police tried to arrest him, he became combative.
channeling his naturally combative impulses into sports
Recent Examples on the Web
Some aspects of playing right-back suit Wieffer’s combative instincts.
—
Andy Naylor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Kennedy appears combative during testimony The three-hour hearing quickly became combative as Kennedy defended his time as HHS secretary amid a flurry of questions on his staffing shakeups, vaccine changes and other issues.
—Will McDuffie, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2025
The tone is snarky, combative, and unmistakably modeled on the president's online persona.
—Jason Lemon, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
More inclusive and less combative.
—Carol Rh Malasig, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for combative
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Andy Naylor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Kennedy appears combative during testimony The three-hour hearing quickly became combative as Kennedy defended his time as HHS secretary amid a flurry of questions on his staffing shakeups, vaccine changes and other issues.
—Will McDuffie, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2025
The tone is snarky, combative, and unmistakably modeled on the president's online persona.
—Jason Lemon, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
More inclusive and less combative.
—Carol Rh Malasig, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for combative
Cite this Entry
“Combative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/combative. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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