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

Surging oil prices have put pressure on global government bonds this year, as energy supply constraints in the Middle East raise concerns about a resurgence of inflation and more hawkish central bank policy. — Sean Conlon,chloe Taylor, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026

Progressives see centrists’ strategic competition frame as excessively hawkish and as a self-fulfilling prophecy. — Thomas Wright, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026

The speech included observations that were hawkish on inflation, mindful of the real economy, and posed questions about the promise of artificial intelligence. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026

The President of the United States (John Goodman) and his cabinet of hawkish generals, gargoyle-ish officials, and speaking-in-tongues spiritual advisors gather at the oilman’s house to discuss next steps. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hawkish

• mawkish