as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
a movie reviewer who is spirited, even pugnacious, when defending her opinions
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pugnacious
As the documentary captures, Billy Joel arrived as a romantic pop star who was also a pugnacious fighter.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 June 2025
Beyond Schenn’s goal scoring touch and physical, pugnacious style of play; Schenn would potentially offer some sneaky value to a Canadian franchise acquiring him this summer.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 30 May 2025
He’s defended cops and lawyers who’ve gotten in trouble and crafted a reputation as a pugnacious advocate for often high-profile clients in high-stakes cases.
—Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2025
Image The often pugnacious Mr. Connolly criticized a Republican bill in 2024 to rename Dulles International Airport, some of whose employees live in his district, after Mr. Trump.
—Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pugnacious
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 June 2025
Beyond Schenn’s goal scoring touch and physical, pugnacious style of play; Schenn would potentially offer some sneaky value to a Canadian franchise acquiring him this summer.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 30 May 2025
He’s defended cops and lawyers who’ve gotten in trouble and crafted a reputation as a pugnacious advocate for often high-profile clients in high-stakes cases.
—Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2025
Image The often pugnacious Mr. Connolly criticized a Republican bill in 2024 to rename Dulles International Airport, some of whose employees live in his district, after Mr. Trump.
—Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pugnacious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pugnacious
Adjective
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Turkeys may become aggressive and territorial if comfortable in suburban areas.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
10 July 2025
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With that in mind, it's expected the Dodgers will be very aggressive at the trade deadline.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Previous negotiations have stalled over Hamas demands of guarantees that further negotiations would lead to the war's end, while Netanyahu has insisted Israel would resume fighting to ensure the militant group's destruction.—
WAFAA SHURAFA,
arkansasonline.com,
6 July 2025
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Western audiences absorb coverage of militant acts by a narrow segment of the Palestinian population while the intellect and insights of the rest are largely ignored by disinterested media institutions.—
Micah Danney,
New York Daily News,
5 July 2025
Adjective
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Guzman’s book was used as a common reader by several universities in 2024, reflecting ongoing concerns about the often hostile, partisan gaps that have roiled many campuses in recent years.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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In the five years since the events of Jurassic World Dominion, many of the dinosaurs and other formerly extinct creatures that were set free into the world have died off, unable to survive in the modern climate and otherwise hostile environments.—
Maureen Lee Lenker Published,
EW.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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Hearing From The Other Side Like most important aspects of life, there are two sides to this contentious coin.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
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One of the more contentious aspects of passing the bill was what to do with the cap on state and local tax deductions, or the SALT cap.—
Alicia Adamczyk,
Fortune,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pugnacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pugnacious. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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