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

Data on Tuesday should show that Brazilian consumer prices for July ticked down ever so slightly from June’s 5.35% print, substantiating the central bank’s hawkish rate hold at 15% on July 30. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2025

The blowback highlights a broader fissure within the Republican Party between hawkish lawmakers who support sending more aid and weapons to Israel and isolationist MAGA influencers who oppose the U.S. becoming more involved in conflicts in the Middle East. —Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025

Kugler of late has expressed generally hawkish views, with support for holding rates steady until the impact Trump’s tariffs are having on inflation becomes clearer. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2025

Trump’s decision to attack Iran and enter the Israeli-Iran war is a big win for hawkish supporters and allies of the president, most notably Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). —Ian Swanson, The Hill, 22 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hawkish

• mawkish