as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
with viciously assaultive prose the writer takes on her critics
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Recent Examples of assaultive
How many times, in the throes of his illness, had he been taken into custody by police, accused of lewd or assaultive behavior, and locked in psych wards, only to be let out within days?
—
Omari Daniels, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
The prosecutor also argued the incident was not the first for Veney involving alcohol or assaultive behavior.
—Keith L. Alexander, Washington Post, 14 July 2023
Among the offenses that don't qualify for a ticket and require an arrest are serious misdemeanors, assaultive crimes and offenses involving domestic violence.
—Angie Jackson, Detroit Free Press, 1 Apr. 2021
Addi describes Konni as the leader of the gang, but Guðmundsson’s screenplay, so accurate at catching the assaultive language that is wielded like a defensive weapon even between close friends, puts Addi at its center: golden and good-looking, with something of a young Ryan O’Neal about him.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 24 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for assaultive
Omari Daniels, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
The prosecutor also argued the incident was not the first for Veney involving alcohol or assaultive behavior.
—Keith L. Alexander, Washington Post, 14 July 2023
Among the offenses that don't qualify for a ticket and require an arrest are serious misdemeanors, assaultive crimes and offenses involving domestic violence.
—Angie Jackson, Detroit Free Press, 1 Apr. 2021
Addi describes Konni as the leader of the gang, but Guðmundsson’s screenplay, so accurate at catching the assaultive language that is wielded like a defensive weapon even between close friends, puts Addi at its center: golden and good-looking, with something of a young Ryan O’Neal about him.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 24 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for assaultive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assaultive
Adjective
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Potential Fed chair David Zervos backs an aggressive rate cut.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
15 Aug. 2025
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Poor oral hygiene allows plaque bacteria to produce acids that contribute to decay, while aggressive brushing can physically wear away the enamel surface.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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While some agree with early views of student protestors that Israel is carrying out a campaign of cruelty and ethnic cleansing in Gaza, others insist Hamas, the militant group in control of the region, which attacked Israel on Oct. 7, sparking the war, is solely responsible for the suffering.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
5 Aug. 2025
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Videos released by the militant groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad last week showed hostages Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski in a visibly fragile state – images that galvanized a forceful reaction both at home and abroad.—
Dana Karni,
CNN Money,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In recent weeks, both have also moved military forces to the border near Assab and are engaging in escalating exchanges of hostile rhetoric.—
Mulugeta Gebrehiwot Berhe,
Foreign Affairs,
5 Aug. 2025
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But the Trump administration's hostile posture toward renewable energy and climate policy has brought volatility and slower growth.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Assaultive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assaultive. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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