1
as in combative
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
a kindergarten teacher who discourages aggressive behavior, like pushing, by rewarding those children who wait their turn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ambitious
having or showing a bold forcefulness in the pursuit of a goal
if you don't take a more aggressive approach to this yard pretty soon, the weeds are going to take over completely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in violent
marked by or uttered with forcefulness
the team's game strategy depends on a very aggressive style of defense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
aggressive behavior
an aggressive approach
an aggressive treatment
an intense treatment
a vigorous treatment
an accelerated treatment
a rigorous treatment
an extreme treatment
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aggressive
That’s after Trump put his most aggressive tariff rates on hold and reached trade deals with the U.K. and China.
—
Jason Ma, Fortune, 27 June 2025
But if a man’s cancer is aggressive, doctors typically take the prostate out, and that's when side effects enter the picture.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 27 June 2025
Fed Chair Jerome Powell, though, has advocated a more cautious approach, despite increasingly aggressive pressure from the president.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 27 June 2025
But even in Alberta, a province that has favored development, the legacy policies are still likely not aggressive enough to meet the moment.
—Mark Le Dain, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggressive
Jason Ma, Fortune, 27 June 2025
But if a man’s cancer is aggressive, doctors typically take the prostate out, and that's when side effects enter the picture.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 27 June 2025
Fed Chair Jerome Powell, though, has advocated a more cautious approach, despite increasingly aggressive pressure from the president.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 27 June 2025
But even in Alberta, a province that has favored development, the legacy policies are still likely not aggressive enough to meet the moment.
—Mark Le Dain, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggressive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggressive
Adjective
-
Johnson told me that many of his patients are now skeptical of his advice, if not openly combative.—
Benjamin Mazer,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2025
-
Opening the doors for real, meaningful interactions will be essential for both sides to gain a clearer and more complete understanding of one another, ensuring a less combative future.—
Zichen Wang,
semafor.com,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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Oh Ae-sun (played by K-pop superstar IU, who also portrays Ae-sun’s daughter Geum-myeong) is a poor but ambitious girl who grows up on South Korea’s Jeju Island in the 1950s and 1960s.—
Regina Kim,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
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This year’s edition, moreover, is more ambitious than ever.—
Essie Assibu,
Variety,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Swart said another giveaway is the hotel accommodations that are arranged for violent rioters.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2025
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Any violent attack on law enforcement should be condemned.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
The Supreme Court cases that set off the fiercest conflicts among the justices aren’t always the hot-button ones.—
Dan McLaughlin,
National Review,
25 June 2025
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The land is torn apart by fierce rivals, shifting loyalties and bloody betrayals.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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This vine, while beautiful, is a vigorous grower that spreads by self-seeding, layering, and runners.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 June 2025
-
No better example of this can be found than in the absence of debate in the contemporary U.S. about the treatment of the Palestinians by the Israelis, whatever outcome such vigorous discussion might produce.—
James L. Gibson,
The Conversation,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
The highly contentious ordinance faced months of City Council debate before passing in a 27-to-22 vote.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2025
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The topic of banning phones at gigs has been a contentious one over the years, with artists wishing for fans to live in the moment, and fans desiring a chance to memorialize their concert experiences.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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The Islamic State militant group (ISIS) operates both east and west of Iran and has also stepped up operations within the Islamic Republic itself, having claimed the deadliest operation in the nation's post-revolutionary history in January 2024.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
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Iraq: Iran, which shares a nearly 1,000-mile border with Iraq, has ties to Iraqi militant groups including Kataib Hezbollah, the Badr Organization, and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aggressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggressive. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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