combative

adjective

com·​bat·​ive kəm-ˈba-tiv 

: marked by eagerness to fight or contend

combatively adverb

combativeness noun

Synonyms

• 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

Johnson told me that many of his patients are now skeptical of his advice, if not openly combative. —Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 17 June 2025

Opening the doors for real, meaningful interactions will be essential for both sides to gain a clearer and more complete understanding of one another, ensuring a less combative future. —Zichen Wang, semafor.com, 16 June 2025

But spiraling events triggered by the Trump administration’s recent forceful immigration enforcement tactics, including in Los Angeles and Chicago, could turn a politically contentious debate far more combative. —Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025

Trump’s combative and adversarial style, far from indicating thick skin, may signal the opposite: a compulsive need to dominate the narrative to avoid feeling diminished. —Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025

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