1
as in combative
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
a kindergarten teacher who discourages aggressive behavior, like pushing, by rewarding those children who wait their turn
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ambitious
having or showing a bold forcefulness in the pursuit of a goal
if you don't take a more aggressive approach to this yard pretty soon, the weeds are going to take over completely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in violent
marked by or uttered with forcefulness
the team's game strategy depends on a very aggressive style of defense
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aggressive
Some patients may prioritize the most aggressive approach available.
—
Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 15 June 2026
The Green Falcons arrive with a new head coach, Georgios Donis, who took over shortly before the tournament and has emphasized an aggressive, attacking approach rather than playing for a draw.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 15 June 2026
Despite the agency's aggressive tactics to accomplish this — including arresting immigrants inside immigration courts — the quota was never met.
—Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 15 June 2026
In the face of aggressive pricing by Android flagships, Apple intends to absorb the higher component cost.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for aggressive
Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 15 June 2026
The Green Falcons arrive with a new head coach, Georgios Donis, who took over shortly before the tournament and has emphasized an aggressive, attacking approach rather than playing for a draw.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 15 June 2026
Despite the agency's aggressive tactics to accomplish this — including arresting immigrants inside immigration courts — the quota was never met.
—Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 15 June 2026
In the face of aggressive pricing by Android flagships, Apple intends to absorb the higher component cost.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for aggressive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggressive
Adjective
-
Trump’s birthday began with a new round of Israeli military strikes in Beirut, which the country said was in response to projectiles fired by the militant group Hezbollah at Israel.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
-
Israel’s military said the militant group launched three projectiles, releasing video in which an audible boom was followed by rising smoke.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
The competing dynamics in Michigan and Maine reflect a broader battle over the direction of the Democratic Party, with establishment leaders viewing more centrist candidates as electable while progressive activists push for more ideologically ambitious candidates.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
13 June 2026
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Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ ambitious plan to invest billions of dollars in underserved neighborhoods by extending six of the city’s Tax Allocation Districts has inserted itself into the race for Fulton County Commission chair.—
Reed Williams,
AJC.com,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
The scenes echoed earlier playoff celebrations, including a massive watch-party gathering of roughly 7,000 people in Bryant Park during Game 2 that turned violent and destructive, according to a law enforcement official.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Maclean’s work traffics in deep fakes and glitch aesthetics, rainbow cuteness and the tropes of pulp—but these are set against violent dystopias and a world of cruelties borne, especially, by women (see her 2018 video Make Me Up as an example).—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
But if his intention is a quick rate cut, the new chairman might be entering a hostile work environment.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
-
French, American, British and other naval crews already have experience of escorting civilian ships through hostile fire in the region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Publishers must also navigate changing consumer behavior, rising shipping costs and a fierce attention economy.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
The thing everyone, from the NCAA’s fiercest critics to its most loyal defenders, understood had to remain nonnegotiable.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Use a 10-gallon container filled with rich, moist soil for vigorous growth and continuous fruit production, and set it next to a pot of nasturtiums, which attract essential pollinators.—
Blythe Copeland,
Martha Stewart,
12 June 2026
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Seven decades later that number has climbed to seventy-three, while those in the richest nations have surpassed an average of over fourscore years, a number the Bible reserves for only the most vigorous among us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Republicans decry fraud while Democrats worry about hunger SNAP’s new rules remain contentious in Congress.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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This has proven to be a contentious change for myriad reasons.—
Ryan Whitwam,
ArsTechnica,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
They are expected to be confident but not intimidating, ambitious but not self-promotional, collaborative but not passive, assertive but not aggressive.—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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Our empathy, needs and emotional sensitivity (Mercury in Cancer) could also be at odds with the boundaries in place (Saturn in Aries), or the pressure to be direct and assertive.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aggressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggressive. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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