as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
clearly a writer with a chip on his shoulder, he's very agonistic even when stating indisputable facts
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Recent Examples of agonistic
Figure 1 Dominance hierarchy, agonistic behaviour, and physiological correlates in male captive kea at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.
—
Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Ong used the word agonistic; oral cultures are competitive.
—Derek Thompson, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Many owners in the city feel stuck—the dog is trigger stacked from the urban environment and more likely to have agonistic reactions towards other dogs as a result.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Sep. 2025
The kitchen remains bloody and agonistic, demanding the preparation of yet another family meal.
—E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 14 July 2023
The agonistic, Faulknerian circumstances fill the house with awful silences.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Dec. 2022
Serial agonistic attacks by greylag goose families, Anser anser, against the same opponent.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2012
Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Ong used the word agonistic; oral cultures are competitive.
—Derek Thompson, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Many owners in the city feel stuck—the dog is trigger stacked from the urban environment and more likely to have agonistic reactions towards other dogs as a result.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Sep. 2025
The kitchen remains bloody and agonistic, demanding the preparation of yet another family meal.
—E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 14 July 2023
The agonistic, Faulknerian circumstances fill the house with awful silences.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Dec. 2022
Serial agonistic attacks by greylag goose families, Anser anser, against the same opponent.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2012
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonistic
Adjective
-
The Boston Red Sox could be aggressive, and have the prospects to swing a deal.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
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In 1981, reggae artist Bob Marley died in a Miami hospital at age 36 after battling an aggressive skin cancer.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant violence in recent years, much of it blamed on the TTP, a separate group but an ally of the Afghan Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.—
Riaz Khan,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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Israel and the militant group have repeatedly accused one another of violating the agreement.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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Women, people of color, and first-generation professionals were too often told their accurate perceptions of hostile environments were merely internal distortions.—
Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
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Others, like Michael (Doon Mackichan), seem openly hostile.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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This comes after a federal appeals court's April 21 decision to uphold a contentious Texas law requiring public school districts to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms, setting the stage for a potential Supreme Court fight.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
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Fiery moments from the governor’s debate Democratic frontrunners Xavier Becerra and billionaire Tom Steyer faced fierce attacks Wednesday during a contentious gubernatorial debate in Los Angeles.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agonistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonistic. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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