hawkish

adjective

hawk·​ish ˈhȯ-kish 

1

: resembling or suggesting a hawk or the beak of a hawk in appearance

a hawkish nose

He has a thatch of black curly hair and hawkish features.

—Jeff Shear

2

: having a militant attitude (as in a dispute) and advocating immediate vigorous action

especially : supporting war or warlike policies

a hawkish politician

He was a frequent and persistently hawkish participant in the war councils of the Administration.

—Vincent Blasi

While definitions vary, "neoconservative" generally refers to formerly moderate policy advocates who favor a hawkish and assertive foreign policy to implant democracy and American values abroad.

—Paul Richter

hawkishly adverb

Land is expensive, scarce, and watched hawkishly by environmentalists.

—Boston Magazine

hawkishness noun

… his Western anti-government philosophy and cold-war hawkishness…

—Jon Meacham

Examples of hawkish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One catalyst is new Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh, who is viewed as taking an early hawkish stance as the Fed eliminates forward guidance and the fed funds futures market prices in greater odds of a rate hike as early as this fall. — Todd Gordon, CNBC, 23 June 2026

BofA’s new Fed prediction Bank of America reversed a previous forecast Monday and predicted the Fed will hike rates a quarter-point in September, October, and December after Fed chair Kevin Warsh signaled unexpectedly hawkish views at last week's FOMC meeting. — Diane Brady, Fortune, 23 June 2026

Some hawkish Republicans are aghast that Trump is getting behind a settlement that could put billions of dollars into Iran’s coffers. — Jamey Keaten, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026

With real interest rates effectively negative and a hawkish BOK signaling multiple increases, bond yields are soaring, and prices are plummeting. — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hawkish

• mawkish