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
The hearing At a congressional hearing, a combative Bondi tried to quell the Epstein files controversy.
—
Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Bondi was a strident in her combative defense of the president in congressional hearings, but she was embattled over her handling of the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
She was fired by Trump following a series of combative congressional hearings, in which she was questioned about the agency's aggressive immigration enforcement actions, which culminated in the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
Trump’s speech was at times entertaining, rambling, repetitive, and combative.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combative
Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Bondi was a strident in her combative defense of the president in congressional hearings, but she was embattled over her handling of the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
She was fired by Trump following a series of combative congressional hearings, in which she was questioned about the agency's aggressive immigration enforcement actions, which culminated in the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
Trump’s speech was at times entertaining, rambling, repetitive, and combative.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for combative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combative
Adjective
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Bart argues that such promotion has a salutary social function, reaching people in underserved communities who might not otherwise be aware that they are entitled to aggressive, contingency-fee advocacy.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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The professional soccer player previously accused Chappell Roan's security of aggressive behavior to his 11-year-old stepdaughter.—
Sharareh Drury,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Israel wants Lebanon's government to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, but the militant group has survived efforts to curb its strength for decades.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
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But the militant group has survived efforts to curb its strength for decades.—
E. Eduardo Castillo,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Callers told police that after a brief and seemingly hostile interaction with the occupants of the vehicle, the individual left school property and was last seen walking onto Ryan Lane from Edwards Avenue.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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From a technical standpoint, the stock appears to be stabilizing at support just as the macro backdrop becomes less hostile to large-cap technology.—
Tony Zhang,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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County commissioners passed a resolution in support of ICE during a contentious meeting.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Israel’s deadly offensive against Hezbollah has been a contentious point in the uneasy Iran war ceasefire.—
Jennifer Hansler,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Dhillon, an Indian American immigrant who talks often about her Sikh faith, has long cultivated a brash, confrontational streak that has brought her to prominence within the Republican Party.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2026
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His confrontational rhetoric toward allies and international organizations, along with his affinity for authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, has also generated profound distrust.—
Sergio Munoz Bata,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Unlawful activity including blocking roads, intentionally creating hazards and assaultive behavior will not be tolerated.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
2 Mar. 2026
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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 15 Apr. 2026.
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