as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
channeling his naturally combative impulses into sports
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of combative
Their fictional relationship was so combative that Tommy actually killed Alfie at the end of Peaky season four, at least until Hardy lobbied Knight to keep him around for seasons five and six.
—
Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 Mar. 2026
Pahlavi, stuck in limbo, became less affable, more combative.
—Azadeh Moaveni, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
But a newsroom town hall to address questions was marked by what staffers described as belligerent and combative statements.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
Hurley, who won back-to-back national titles with the Huskies, has long had a combative history with officials.
—ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combative
Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 Mar. 2026
Pahlavi, stuck in limbo, became less affable, more combative.
—Azadeh Moaveni, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
But a newsroom town hall to address questions was marked by what staffers described as belligerent and combative statements.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
Hurley, who won back-to-back national titles with the Huskies, has long had a combative history with officials.
—ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combative
Adjective
-
Family questions police response Sye's other sister told CBS New Baltimore that the officers were too aggressive in their response.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Your 6th House of Health tightens under pressure as the unconscious Moon squares aggressive Mars, presently in your 3rd House of Dialogue, so timing and tone carry extra weight.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Various reform and feminist movements were pushing the regime to soften its militant foreign policy, its oppressive dress codes, and its censorship of civil society.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
-
And in Lebanon, Israeli strikes targeting the militant Hezbollah group, an Iranian ally, have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced more than 1 million, according to the Lebanese government.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The paratroopers are trained to jump into hostile or contested areas to secure key territory and airfields.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
-
However, Iran’s UN Mission said in a post on X that ‘non-hostile vessels, including those belonging to or associated with other states’ may obtain ‘safe passage’ through the Strait of Hormuz via coordination with Tehran.—
Joseph Wilkins,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Some Charlotte region transportation board members want a say on whether the contentious Interstate 77 South toll lane project should continue based on upcoming design changes.—
Desiree Mathurin
March 27,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Quebec’s identity has been contentious since the 1760s when the British completed their takeover of what was then called New France.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The result is a boundary-pushing and confrontational experience that expands both the possibilities of VR and our understanding of how intimate stories can be shared and experienced.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Mar. 2026
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The former mixed martial arts fighter vowed to take a less partisan and confrontational approach to the job than predecessor Noem, even as both parties traded barbs.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Unlawful activity including blocking roads, intentionally creating hazards and assaultive behavior will not be tolerated.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
2 Mar. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Combative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combative. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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