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
Not everyone tells you the nitty gritty of those combative moments, but that can often be a part of the creative process.
—
Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 18 May 2025
Dowd didn’t know of Chang’s original idea, and says the turn of scene was wise, given Lydia’s combative state of mind.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
Her relationship with children David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) was combative, competitive, cackle-worthy and ultimately loving.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Nichols ran from the traffic stop, the prosecution said, because of the officers' aggressive tactics, which included pulling him from his car and shouting combative threats and commands.
—Katie Riordan, NPR, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for combative
Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 18 May 2025
Dowd didn’t know of Chang’s original idea, and says the turn of scene was wise, given Lydia’s combative state of mind.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
Her relationship with children David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) was combative, competitive, cackle-worthy and ultimately loving.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Nichols ran from the traffic stop, the prosecution said, because of the officers' aggressive tactics, which included pulling him from his car and shouting combative threats and commands.
—Katie Riordan, NPR, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for combative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combative
Adjective
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The 82-year-old was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, the second most common cancer among men, with 1 in 8 being diagnosed in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.—
Sam Woodward,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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Nonprofits focused on such issues could be seen as antagonistic to the company’s aggressive commercialization efforts.—
Hayden Field,
CNBC,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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In response to the vote, Iraqi troops retook vast swathes of territory seized by Kurdish forces during their joint fight against the Islamic State militant group (ISIS).—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
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In December, after years of stalemate in the war, Assad’s long-standing authoritarian regime collapsed, in the face of an unexpected offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist militant group once affiliated with al-Qaida.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Some of countries in the continent that are rich in uranium, such as Niger and Gabon, may be delicate or difficult to deal with in the near term as both underwent military coups recently, with Niger turning hostile toward the French and more toward the Russians.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
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The game is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET and Pacers fans are sure to bring the energy and create a hostile atmosphere for New York.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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In that same post, Swift highlighted her contentious history with Braun, largely via his work with her longtime foe, Kanye West.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
30 May 2025
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This public WiFi hijacking threat is almost as contentious as juice-jacking amongst cyber experts.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
30 May 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 3 Jun. 2025.
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