as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
not a reasoned discussion but a shouting match between gladiatorial pundits from opposite ends of the political spectrum
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gladiatorial
Many people have noted the similarities to ancient gladiatorial contests.
—
Cullen Murphy,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Some critics view gladiatorial displays of violence as inappropriate for a historic anniversary and complain that the spectacle hits a discordant note amid war in Iran and rising prices.
—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
That fits with the vaguely gladiatorial sensation of singles when two competitors face off across a net, locked in intense battle that becomes as much a test of will as skill.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
Hansen and his Dateline NBC crew made gladiatorial reality TV disguised as public service.
—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Fighting those of a comparable or higher status brought greater prizes, advancement in the rankings, and more glory, perhaps even discharge from the gladiatorial school.
—
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
One of the city’s star attractions is the huge 25,000-seat Great Theater, used for theatrical performances, public assemblies, religious ceremonies and, in the Roman era, gladiatorial battles.
—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
In America's gladiatorial two-party system, that could well deprive Republicans of a winning political issue with which to batter out-of-touch, climate change-besotted Democrats.
—
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Dec. 2025
Speaking a few days before his eagerly awaited womenswear debut for Dior, Anderson described the feeling of stepping into a gladiatorial arena.
—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
3 Nov. 2025
Cullen Murphy,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Some critics view gladiatorial displays of violence as inappropriate for a historic anniversary and complain that the spectacle hits a discordant note amid war in Iran and rising prices.
—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
That fits with the vaguely gladiatorial sensation of singles when two competitors face off across a net, locked in intense battle that becomes as much a test of will as skill.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
Hansen and his Dateline NBC crew made gladiatorial reality TV disguised as public service.
—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Fighting those of a comparable or higher status brought greater prizes, advancement in the rankings, and more glory, perhaps even discharge from the gladiatorial school.
—
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
One of the city’s star attractions is the huge 25,000-seat Great Theater, used for theatrical performances, public assemblies, religious ceremonies and, in the Roman era, gladiatorial battles.
—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
In America's gladiatorial two-party system, that could well deprive Republicans of a winning political issue with which to batter out-of-touch, climate change-besotted Democrats.
—
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Dec. 2025
Speaking a few days before his eagerly awaited womenswear debut for Dior, Anderson described the feeling of stepping into a gladiatorial arena.
—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladiatorial
Adjective
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Grey-zone tactics refer to a range of aggressive tactics that vary from navy ship patrols to drone flights, but fall short of direct combat.
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That will be decided in the coming hours, as the Heat remains in aggressive pursuit of a trade for Antetokounmpo.
Adjective
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The interim deal is meant to stop fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon where Israeli forces are battling the militant Hezbollah group.
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Despite an October ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hamas, the enclave has seen near-daily Israeli attacks that have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Adjective
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This is not so different from the Founders’ vision of democracy, in which a federal system with independent, coequal branches of government forces collisions of competing interests that can get contentious, even chaotic, before compromises are forged.
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But with the Turnberry Agreement finally finding its footing, a reopening of wounds and a reignition of a contentious trade battle has likely held little appeal for the EU.
Adjective
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The complaint alleges that school officials at Southern Hills Middle School failed to stop two years of antisemitic harassment against an eighth grader even after investigations concluded the student faced a hostile environment.
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Create an internal incident map and begin tagging hostile actions according to the DISARM taxonomy.
Adjective
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Figure 1 Dominance hierarchy, agonistic behaviour, and physiological correlates in male captive kea at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.
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Ong used the word agonistic; oral cultures are competitive.
Adjective
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One of the world’s most cooperative mammals is also one of its most warlike.
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Ludwig’s distant paternal ancestors were in fact German Jewish merchants, not warlike princes.
Adjective
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Beliefs bump against reality as the emotional Moon activates your 9th House of Learning, quincunx combative Mars in your 4th House of Home.
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The responding officer recognized Poirier from his professional fighting career and requested backup because of what the report described as his combative behavior.
Cite this Entry
“Gladiatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladiatorial. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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