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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gladiatorial
Fighting those of a comparable or higher status brought greater prizes, advancement in the rankings, and more glory, perhaps even discharge from the gladiatorial school.
—
Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Ancient Greeks wagered on the (occasionally rigged) early Olympic Games; Romans bet on chariot races and gladiatorial contests (also sometimes rigged).
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
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
Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Ancient Greeks wagered on the (occasionally rigged) early Olympic Games; Romans bet on chariot races and gladiatorial contests (also sometimes rigged).
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladiatorial
Adjective
-
Paolo Banchero set the tone early with an aggressive, assertive first half that dictated the flow of the game.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Many were acquired between 2019 and 2022 at elevated valuations and financed with aggressive leverage, assumptions that are now being tested in a higher-rate environment.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Both President Emmanual Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the militant group denied involvement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon against the militant group Hezbollah, who are close allies of Iran, has been a sticking point in negotiations between Washington and Tehran.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Already the jobs issue in Hollywood has become a contentious part of the race for governor in California, with several candidates pledging to eliminate the $750 million cap put in place by Newsom, which already was more than double what the state was previously capped at.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The Kelly Tractor project is contentious enough that Mayor Daniella Levine Cava in February vetoed the commission’s approval of the plan.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
On Tuesday a civil jury concluded that Lodes resigned involuntarily due to his reporting of a hostile workplace and was awarded the multimillion-dollar payment as compensation for his emotional damages.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The lawsuit claims Mavromatis experienced retaliatory consequences for raising concerns about the harassment and hostile work environment.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ong used the word agonistic; oral cultures are competitive.—
Derek Thompson,
The Atlantic,
22 Feb. 2026
-
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
-
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
-
If someone tends to have more of a combative communication style, they might have been raised to see bluntness as just telling the truth.—
Nancy Pulciano,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Recently, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services issued an order that Tewksbury Hospital security officers will no longer carry or use non-lethal and defensive tactical equipment like pepper gel, batons and handcuffs to subdue violent and combative patients.—
Rick Pozniak,
Boston Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gladiatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladiatorial. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
