warlike

war·like

adjective \ˈwȯr-ˌlīk\

Definition of WARLIKE

1

obsolete : ready for war : equipped to fight

2

: fit for, disposed to, or fond of war : bellicose <a warlike people>

3

: of, relating to, or useful in war <warlike preparations>

4

: befitting or characteristic of war or a soldier <warlike cries>

Examples of WARLIKE

1. The government has been criticized for its warlike attitude.
2. <a seafarer's legend that the remote island was inhabited by a warlike and uncivilized tribe>

First Known Use of WARLIKE

15th century

Related to WARLIKE

Synonyms

aggressive, agonistic, argumentative, assaultive, bellicose, brawly, chippy, combative, confrontational, contentious, discordant, disputatious, feisty, gladiatorial, militant, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, belligerent

Antonyms

nonaggressive, nonbelligerent, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, unbelligerent, uncombative, uncontentious

Related Words

antagonistic, fierce, hostile, hot-tempered; acidic, bearish, bilious, bristly, choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, disagreeable, dyspeptic, fractious, fretful, grouchy, grumpy, huffy, ill-humored, ill-natured, ill-tempered, irascible, irritable, ornery, peevish, pettish, petulant, prickly, querulous, rude, snappish, snappy, stroppy [British], surly, testy, touchy, ugly, waspish; savage, vicious; battling, fighting, warring

Near Antonyms

anti-imperialist, antimilitarist, unwarlike; affable, amiable, amicable, benevolent, complaisant, conciliatory, cordial, easygoing, friendly, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, ingratiating, kindhearted, obliging, pleasant, sociable; calm, quiet, relaxed, serene, tranquil; benign, gentle, kindly, mild

Rhymes with WARLIKE

alike, apelike, armlike, barnlike, bearlike, belike, birdlike, bladelike, boatlike, boxlike, called strike, catlike, childlike, Christlike, clawlike, claylike, clocklike, dirgelike, dirt bike, dislike, doglike, dreamlike, feel like, first strike, fishlike, flu-like, fly-strike, garpike, godlike, grasslike, handspike, hitchhike, homelike, horselike, hymnlike, jazzlike, Klondike, lifelike, mislike, moonlike, nunlike, parklike, pealike, push-bike, rampike, ratlike, rent strike, restrike, ringlike, rocklike, rootlike, ropelike, scalelike, sharklike, sheaflike, shrimplike, shunpike, snakelike, sphinxlike, springlike, suchlike, tanklike, ten-strike, trail bike, trancelike, turnpike, unlike, Updike, Vandyke, Van Dyck, wavelike, whalelike, wifelike, winglike, wraithlike