as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
not a reasoned discussion but a shouting match between gladiatorial pundits from opposite ends of the political spectrum
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Recent Examples of gladiatorial
One of the city’s star attractions is the huge 25,000-seat Great Theater, used for theatrical performances, public assemblies, religious ceremonies and, in the Roman era, gladiatorial battles.
—
Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
In America's gladiatorial two-party system, that could well deprive Republicans of a winning political issue with which to batter out-of-touch, climate change-besotted Democrats.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Speaking a few days before his eagerly awaited womenswear debut for Dior, Anderson described the feeling of stepping into a gladiatorial arena.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
At the conference, Farage appeared onstage in a blaze of pyrotechnics and gladiatorial chords.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
Under his rule, the teens are pitted against each other (and other supes) in gladiatorial-style combat.
—EW.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
In America's gladiatorial two-party system, that could well deprive Republicans of a winning political issue with which to batter out-of-touch, climate change-besotted Democrats.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Speaking a few days before his eagerly awaited womenswear debut for Dior, Anderson described the feeling of stepping into a gladiatorial arena.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
At the conference, Farage appeared onstage in a blaze of pyrotechnics and gladiatorial chords.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
Under his rule, the teens are pitted against each other (and other supes) in gladiatorial-style combat.
—EW.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladiatorial
Adjective
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While their offer was aggressive, the deal wasn’t done in a numbers vacuum.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
9 Mar. 2026
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Slater had been particularly aggressive against Big Tech companies during her tenure.—
Allie Canal,
NBC news,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Frontiers are already porous here, crossed by smuggling routes, refugee trails and militant hideouts.—
Mihir Sharma,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Among the most prominent Islamic militant groups are Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, known as Islamic State West Africa Province.—
Dyepkazah Shibayan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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On the other side of this contentious disagreement is the developer, who said there is demand for new housing, and the wastewater facility is a safe and necessary component to facilitate growth.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Mar. 2026
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Associations embroiled in contentious disputes should seek guidance from qualified attorneys and other professionals to help find negotiated resolutions.—
Awilda Esteras,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Handling a hostile environment Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said his team knew what to expect from Bobcat Ballpark.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Mar. 2026
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Brasília was built from scratch, in the middle of nowhere, in the hostile climate of the Cerrado—a savanna-like biome—hundreds of miles from any highway, railway, or airport.—
Sophia La Banca,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Ong used the word agonistic; oral cultures are competitive.—
Derek Thompson,
The Atlantic,
22 Feb. 2026
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Many owners in the city feel stuck—the dog is trigger stacked from the urban environment and more likely to have agonistic reactions towards other dogs as a result.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Ludwig’s distant paternal ancestors were in fact German Jewish merchants, not warlike princes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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To many Chicagoans, the warlike atmosphere is the result of the increasing aggression of the federal government.—
Geraldo Cadava,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The estate via the combative Branca, who is portrayed by Miles Teller in the heavily authorized (to put it very, very politely) Michael, has fought back in the courts against Paris Jackson’s actions.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
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That’s because his electability quotient is low, given his past scandals and combative style.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gladiatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladiatorial. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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