as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
channeling his naturally combative impulses into sports
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of combative
After failing to post his $17,500 bond, police said Klein woke up from a nap on Friday and allegedly became very combative, punching a security camera in his holding cell at the police department.
—
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 7 July 2025
Whether a result of his combative personality, almost bottomless wealth, or fury at being tossed aside, Musk has chosen not to roll over, as so many spurned Trump allies have, and has instead hit back.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 7 July 2025
The officer reported the driver seemed to show signs of drug impairment and became combative with rescue personnel.
—Tom Olsen, Twin Cities, 25 June 2025
Several sources described the interaction as heated and combative.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for combative
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 7 July 2025
Whether a result of his combative personality, almost bottomless wealth, or fury at being tossed aside, Musk has chosen not to roll over, as so many spurned Trump allies have, and has instead hit back.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 7 July 2025
The officer reported the driver seemed to show signs of drug impairment and became combative with rescue personnel.
—Tom Olsen, Twin Cities, 25 June 2025
Several sources described the interaction as heated and combative.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for combative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combative
Adjective
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Sadly, Minx was soon diagnosed with an aggressive cancer.—
Staff Author,
People.com,
22 July 2025
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Being too aggressive with your use of ice can damage your skin.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Settler violence in the West Bank has risen since the start of Israel's war against Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza in late 2023, according to rights groups.—
Ali Sawafta,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
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Buhari vowed to do more to fight militant groups and fix the economy as the demonstrations turned deadly and continued to simmer for the remainder of his presidency.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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Forced to work in a more hostile environment than.when it was first established in 2019, the mission faces limited options for evacuations due to the ongoing suspension of international commercial flights, and mobility, because of gangs’ ongoing gang encirclement of Port-au-Prince.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
14 July 2025
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From retail shops to corner bodegas and independent grocery stores, the past few years have not only forced small business owners to confront staggering economic challenges, but also a needlessly hostile regulatory environment brought on by out-of-touch policymakers.—
Tosha Miller,
New York Daily News,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Earlier this year, Trump paused weapons shipments to Ukraine after a contentious meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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With billions allocated for new hiring, the scale of ICE's growth could reshape immigration enforcement for years to come and will likely remain at the center of a contentious national debate.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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The record indicates that the instant offense has elements of brutality, violence, assaultive behavior or conscious selection of victim's vulnerability indicating a conscious disregard for the lives, safety, or property of others, such that the offender poses a continuing threat to public safety.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2025
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The effect is assaultive but clever, jolting listeners’ reflexes and then toying with their attention.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Combative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combative. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
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