1
as in aggressiveness
an inclination to fight or quarrel
though the dogs have a reputation for aggression, many of their owners insist they make gentle pets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
diplomats warned that any aggression by either side could easily turn into a full-scale war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of aggression
As chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, I have been focused on reshoring critical supply chains, strengthening our technological edge and countering the CCP’s growing aggression.
—
The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 14 May 2026
Kartik Tyagi surprised Bethell with a sharp bouncer and held on to an easy return catch but Padikkal showed aggression against both the pace and spin of Sunil Narine before Kohli raised his half century off 32 balls in the 10th over.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
Miles-Novelo points out that the strongest predictor of gun violence is access to a firearm, for example, and the most significant risk factor for future aggressive behavior is a history of aggression.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2026
Germany and the Soviet Union sign their non-aggression pact.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for aggression
The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 14 May 2026
Kartik Tyagi surprised Bethell with a sharp bouncer and held on to an easy return catch but Padikkal showed aggression against both the pace and spin of Sunil Narine before Kohli raised his half century off 32 balls in the 10th over.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
Miles-Novelo points out that the strongest predictor of gun violence is access to a firearm, for example, and the most significant risk factor for future aggressive behavior is a history of aggression.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2026
Germany and the Soviet Union sign their non-aggression pact.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for aggression
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggression
Noun
-
Bears display aggressiveness towards visitors Aggressive bears have been a concern in the park since April, with the animals chasing people and even biting them.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
The two have been engaging in a subtle war of online words with fans noting passive aggressiveness to the max.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
As the United States has escalated its attacks on Iran, there’s something pleasingly transgressive about bringing Iranian elements into such overtly Western music—so much so that the songs without Yaghmai’s playing seem a little subdued in comparison.—
Molly Mary O’Brien,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
-
This one way attack drone is aimed at delivering affordable mass capabilities and is engineered for adaptability, and autonomous operations.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
But many still derived entertainment from the frequent outbreak of hostilities between the teams, the FIA, and the commercial rights holder (then Bernie Ecclestone; now Liberty Media).—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
11 May 2026
-
Their hostility tended to be reserved for Steven Gerrard.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Brown is expected to face multiple charges, including two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, along with weapons offenses.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
-
After being medically cleared at a hospital, Villalobos-Espinoza was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of vehicle theft, felony evading, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and an enhancement for prior theft convictions.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
His campaign is built around an appeal to mainstream Republicans, swing voters and old-school conservatives who see his defiance of Trump in 2020 as a mark of independence rather than betrayal.—
Joe Kovac,
AJC.com,
12 May 2026
-
Despite that effort, Hoskins and other Republican statewide officials enacted the map in defiance of decades of precedent.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
When a bill to pour billions into financing Israel’s military came across Congressman Kweisi Mfume’s desk, Israel’s military offensive in Gaza had claimed a death toll of over 70,000 people, as reported by local health authorities and acknowledged as broadly accurate by the Israeli military.—
Mark Conway,
Baltimore Sun,
9 May 2026
-
After a largely grotesque first quarter offensive for Minnesota in Game 3 on Friday night, Anthony Edwards lit a match that set Target Center ablaze.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The fight will be contested at welterweight, and White did not clarify how many rounds the bout would be contested at.—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Uthmeier has taken a courageous stand, and should finish the fight.—
Kimberly Bird,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
That freed up Plum to be in position to score, setting up a much more efficient Sparks offense.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2026
-
Brown is still building up his pitch count with his transition from the bullpen to the rotation, requiring high efficiency facing Major League Baseball’s best offense to give them that many outs.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aggression.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggression. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
