1
as in controversial
given to arguing
he's too argumentative to be part of a project in which teamwork is critical
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
an argumentative gang of bullies always looking for a fight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in contentious
relating to or causing the expression of opposing opinions
a topic that sparked more than a few argumentative conversations around the watercooler
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of argumentative
Contrarian doesn’t quite describe me; my rejection of The Pitt isn’t an attempt to appear provocative or argumentative.
—
Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
Smith objected, saying that Bouffard’s question was argumentative.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated March 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2026
Still, Saunders, a short-story master, has now written two consecutive novels about final reckonings watched over by comically argumentative spirits.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 4 Feb. 2026
The workers were trying to comply with a court order when Cochrane allegedly became argumentative, according to the press release.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for argumentative
Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
Smith objected, saying that Bouffard’s question was argumentative.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated March 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2026
Still, Saunders, a short-story master, has now written two consecutive novels about final reckonings watched over by comically argumentative spirits.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 4 Feb. 2026
The workers were trying to comply with a court order when Cochrane allegedly became argumentative, according to the press release.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for argumentative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for argumentative
Adjective
-
When Cuban refugees flooded Miami in 1980 after the Mariel boatlift, the county passed a controversial ordinance that largely banned the use of taxpayer money for programs conducted in languages besides English.—
David Ovalle,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2026
-
And yet, there is worry that one of the new personalities might go rogue; do something that doesn’t adhere to an organization’s journalism standards; or, most challenging, do something controversial on their own platform that becomes associated with the mainstream news venue that employs them.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Paolo Banchero set the tone early with an aggressive, assertive first half that dictated the flow of the game.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Many were acquired between 2019 and 2022 at elevated valuations and financed with aggressive leverage, assumptions that are now being tested in a higher-rate environment.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The incident occurred during a contentious period in Minneapolis when the city was the focal point of an immigration enforcement surge and after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal law enforcement.—
Jack Date,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
That strategy, known as windowing, became a more contentious issue after the pandemic when some studios began to reduce the amount of time films were in cinemas before audiences could view them at home.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Colleges and universities nationwide continue to grapple with polemic issues associated with the fair treatment of individuals of differing backgrounds, political persuasions, and sexuality.—
Blake D. Morant,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
This kind of depravity, licentiousness and polemical theatrics has no place on such a traditional and once wholesome presentation of the coming of a new year in our great nation and especially on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the greatest experiment in democracy and freedom in history.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Both President Emmanual Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the militant group denied involvement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon against the militant group Hezbollah, who are close allies of Iran, has been a sticking point in negotiations between Washington and Tehran.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
More than a day later, firefighters remained on scene to douse stubborn hotspots.—
Naveen Dhaliwal,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Use a cooktop scraper or soft sponge to remove stubborn residue while the cooktop is still warm for easier cleaning.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
On Tuesday a civil jury concluded that Lodes resigned involuntarily due to his reporting of a hostile workplace and was awarded the multimillion-dollar payment as compensation for his emotional damages.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The lawsuit claims Mavromatis experienced retaliatory consequences for raising concerns about the harassment and hostile work environment.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Perhaps through feeling more irritable, more anxious, or wanting to isolate.—
Joy Harden Bradford,
AJC.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Had my symptoms maybe been put down to irritable bowel, for example, that could’ve been ongoing and ongoing and ongoing for a much longer period of time.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Argumentative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/argumentative. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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