AGGRESSIONS Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

aggressions

noun

plural of aggression

as in assaults

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

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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 aggressions As quotas for immigration arrests increased that spring, he was asked to press felony charges for even minor aggressions against agents. — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 The United States deploys about 28,500 troops in South Korea as deterrence against potential aggressions from North Korea. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 Many of the physical aggressions KFF Health News identified in CMS inspection reports were perpetrated by residents with diagnoses of dementia, schizophrenia, or other cognitive disorders. — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026 Vitello, meanwhile, just takes it — macro- and micro-aggressions alike. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 21 June 2026 The sharp comedy follows their meetings over the course of the school year, revealing the micro-aggressions, class distinctions, and prejudices of the council members, which Spector addresses with clever, amusing insight. — Mary Damiano, Miami Herald, 27 May 2026 Race, bad bosses and the fly-on-the-wall fun of watching office politics and micro-aggressions play out makes this workplace suspense novel a total page-turner (as well as a binge-worthy limited television series). — Laura Zigman, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026 Oil prices have surged since February 28, when the US and Israel opened aggressions by assassinating Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei in a series of missile strikes that also killed the commander of the IRGC, the minister of defense, and other top brass. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 12 Mar. 2026 As servers delicately navigate around the women, serving plates of food that will never be touched, micro-aggressions are tossed, disguised as jokes. — Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggressions

Noun

The city has reported one of its safest summers on record, though felony assaults in transit and hate crimes have both seen increases, by 9% and 15% respectively, according to NYPD stats.

— Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026
Twice this year, Uber was found liable for driver assaults of passengers.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of assaults

Noun

Other foreign visitors have, however, been targeted in criminal attacks on Mexico's Pacific coast.

— CBS News, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Even as crime in general has declined, the NYPD has reported a 16% increase in hate crimes so far this year, with Jews being the victims in more than half the attacks, officials said.

— Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of attacks

Noun

During last year’s raids on homes owned by Kadgien and her sister in Mar del Plata, Argentine police also seized two 19th-century paintings, along with other prints and engravings.

— Sergio Farella, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Ask South Florida and Iowa State fans for their feelings on the roster raids Alex Golesh and Matt Campbell did at Auburn and Penn State.

— Matt Baker, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of raids

Noun

In fact, reported evidence suggests this software commitment (from a company making its revenue from hardware) has been crucial to Nvidia’s success in fending off onslaughts from other hardware vendors such as Intel.

— Nisha Talagala, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Ukraine has been largely helpless in similar Russian onslaughts in recent weeks.

— Tom Bowman, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of onslaughts

Noun

However, Iran analysts are highly skeptical that Tehran will prove capable of launching any such large-scale ground offensives any time soon.

— Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Israel’s ongoing offensives have become a wedge issue for Jewish and non-Jewish Americans, leading to protests and raising antisemitism fears and questions about America’s close ties to Israel.

— David Crary, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of offensives

Noun

Jacobs, 28, was arrested May 26 by the Hobart/Lawrence Police Department on suspicion of five offenses related to domestic abuse and released the next day.

— Devon Henderson, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
The charges included conspiracy against the internal and external security of the state, forming or joining a terrorist organization and offenses related to attempts to change the form of the state.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of offenses

Noun

Earlier attempts to harvest solar energy underwater stalled out in shallow waters under two meters deep, where sunlight is still plentiful but practical applications are scarce.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2026
Tampa Bay allowed a QB hit on 11% of pass attempts last season, the lowest rate in the league.

— Joe Reedy, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of attempts

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“Aggressions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggressions. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of aggressions

noun

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