combative

adjective

com·​bat·​ive kəm-ˈba-tiv 

: marked by eagerness to fight or contend

combatively adverb

combativeness noun

Synonyms of combative

• aggressive
• militant
• hostile
• contentious
• confrontational
• assaultive

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

Current and former employees said Allen is largely an absentee leader who is combative and who put his workers in harm’s way by not acting sooner to address building concerns prior to a roof collapse last year. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Sep. 2026

With the midterm election just weeks away, Democrats laced into Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a combative House hearing Tuesday. — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Earlier in the day, UAE Team Emirates’ Kevin Vermaerke once again made his way into the day’s breakaway, the 25-year-old American having proven himself one of the most combative riders in the race after team leader Tadej Pogačar’s withdrawal. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Suno, which has had a highly combative relationship with the music industry in recent years. — Jem Aswad, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

combative

adjective

com·​bat·​ive kəm-ˈbat-iv 

: eager to fight : pugnacious

combativeness noun