Synonyms of gladiator

gladiator

noun

ˈgla-dē-ˌā-tər 

as in boxer

one that engages in the sport of fighting with the fists

the two punch-drunk gladiators stumbled to their corners

Synonyms & Similar Words

• boxer
• fighter
• pugilist
• prizefighter
• pug
• slugger
• heavyweight
• welterweight
• lightweight
• middleweight
• featherweight
• palooka
• bantamweight
• light heavyweight
• flyweight
• stumblebum
• superheavyweight
• cruiserweight

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of gladiator

The second film stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, the son of Maximus, who returns to Rome as a prisoner and is trained to be a gladiator for Macrinus, a former slave played by Denzel Washington, who has plans to overthrow the twin emperors. — Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026

Biden likened the matches to Roman gladiator fights staged by 1st century emperors during undemocratic times. — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026

Roman emperors used gladiators to do just that. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 17 June 2026

From Roman gladiator contests to modern mixed martial arts, combat spectacles have served not merely as entertainment but as public rituals through which people experience belonging to something larger than themselves. — Scott Atran, The Conversation, 17 June 2026