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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 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
Finally, serial attacks may signal the agonistic potential of a family to other flock members.
—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
Finally, serial attacks may signal the agonistic potential of a family to other flock members.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2012
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonistic
Adjective
-
That was a fun one, with both teams staying aggressive throughout the match.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
-
That more aggressive posture has been exemplified in Lewis George's smaller jousts with the mayor over housing and public safety policies, too.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Trump’s birthday began with a new round of Israeli military strikes in Beirut, which the country said was in response to projectiles fired by the militant group Hezbollah at Israel.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
-
Israel’s military said the militant group launched three projectiles, releasing video in which an audible boom was followed by rising smoke.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
But if his intention is a quick rate cut, the new chairman might be entering a hostile work environment.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
-
French, American, British and other naval crews already have experience of escorting civilian ships through hostile fire in the region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Striking a balance between releasing children to vetted sponsors and shielding them from danger has proved a contentious partisan disagreement.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
Striking a balance to release children to vetted sponsors and shielding them from danger has proved a contentious partisan disagreement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agonistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonistic. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
