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
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
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
Serial agonistic attacks by greylag goose families, Anser anser, against the same opponent.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2012
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
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
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
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While their offer was aggressive, the deal wasn’t done in a numbers vacuum.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
9 Mar. 2026
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Slater had been particularly aggressive against Big Tech companies during her tenure.—
Allie Canal,
NBC news,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Frontiers are already porous here, crossed by smuggling routes, refugee trails and militant hideouts.—
Mihir Sharma,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Among the most prominent Islamic militant groups are Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, known as Islamic State West Africa Province.—
Dyepkazah Shibayan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Handling a hostile environment Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said his team knew what to expect from Bobcat Ballpark.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Mar. 2026
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Brasília was built from scratch, in the middle of nowhere, in the hostile climate of the Cerrado—a savanna-like biome—hundreds of miles from any highway, railway, or airport.—
Sophia La Banca,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
On the other side of this contentious disagreement is the developer, who said there is demand for new housing, and the wastewater facility is a safe and necessary component to facilitate growth.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Mar. 2026
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Associations embroiled in contentious disputes should seek guidance from qualified attorneys and other professionals to help find negotiated resolutions.—
Awilda Esteras,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agonistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonistic. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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