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
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
The Red Queen is about eternal recurrence of the agonistic dance between organisms.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 21 Apr. 2011
Finally, serial attacks may signal the agonistic potential of a family to other flock members.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2012
Serial agonistic attacks by greylag goose families, Anser anser, against the same opponent.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2012
But the drive, the bile, the essential, agonistic spirit that powers the greatest rock music and serves as the source of its creativity will almost certainly be lacking.
—Damon Linker, The Week, 4 Sep. 2021
This agonistic version of the fact-value distinction leaves us with an impoverished ideal of social interaction.
—Peter E. Gordon, The New York Review of Books, 19 Nov. 2020
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
The Red Queen is about eternal recurrence of the agonistic dance between organisms.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 21 Apr. 2011
Finally, serial attacks may signal the agonistic potential of a family to other flock members.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2012
Serial agonistic attacks by greylag goose families, Anser anser, against the same opponent.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2012
But the drive, the bile, the essential, agonistic spirit that powers the greatest rock music and serves as the source of its creativity will almost certainly be lacking.
—Damon Linker, The Week, 4 Sep. 2021
This agonistic version of the fact-value distinction leaves us with an impoverished ideal of social interaction.
—Peter E. Gordon, The New York Review of Books, 19 Nov. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonistic
Adjective
-
The tree has aggressive roots that can upend lawn turf and crack pavement.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 June 2025
-
But the company’s aggressive marketing triggered backlash.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
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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Bondi also shared that over 1,000 Iranian nationals have entered the country illegally in recent years and said law enforcement agencies are actively investigating them for possible ties to foreign militant groups.—
Elaine Mallon,
The Washington Examiner,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, Syria has turned from a fertile ground to a hostile one for Iran and its assets, after the Assad regime was toppled in December.—
Lina Khatib,
Time,
19 June 2025
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By contrast, the U.S. had appeared openly skeptical and was often even seen as hostile.—
Ozan Ozerk,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
That was displayed during a contentious exchange between Sen. Ted Cruz and conservative media figure Tucker Carlson.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Agonistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonistic. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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