as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
a bar that was once a favorite haunt of brawly servicemen from the nearby military base
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawly
Adjective
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That’s the kind of chance that last season, a more aggressive-looking Stolarz would have used his frame — and frankly, his big-game presence — to turn away with ease.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025 -
The agency has also faced criticism for aggressive tactics used by ICE agents in executing the president’s immigration policy.—
Andy Rose 19 hr ago,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Israel and the Lebanese militant group exchanged fire for over a year before reaching a ceasefire in November 2024.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Iran has been plagued for years by staggering hyperinflation, fueled by Western sanctions imposed over the hardline clerical government's nuclear program and backing for militant groups across the region.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Skepticism came easily to Trump, who had long been hostile to mainstream foreign policy.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The helicopter the pilot was flying — a heavy, twin-rotor MH-47 Chinook — was struck by hostile fire during the operation.—
January 9,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This sparked a contentious debate about whether our species originally emerged outside of Africa, before returning there.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
His resignation comes after last month's trial in which inflammatory texts Phelps sent during contentious revenue-sharing negotiations were revealed.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Chief Judge James Boasberg ruled in two more surge cases involving Paul Nguyen and Nathalie Rose Jones, each accused of assaultive or threatening conduct during summer protests.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Corigliano’s symphony is assaultive in style and confrontational in intent.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Brawly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawly. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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