as in pugnacious
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Recent Examples of hyperaggressive
Goetz had on his side Barry Slotnick, a hyperaggressive defense lawyer who represented clients as varied as John Gotti and the Lubavitchers.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Auburn surprisingly sat out the quarterback transfer market a year ago but was hyperaggressive at the position this winter.
—Antonio Morales, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Few may be as hyperaggressive as the officers who killed Nichols, but their fear and belligerence can still evoke a reciprocal urge in a driver to talk back or flee, sparking a deadly cycle.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2023
The committee had squeezed donors with hyperaggressive new tactics.
—Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2022
Their hyperaggressive driving was deranged, but unfortunately not unusual.
—William Falk, The Week, 14 Aug. 2021
Unsurprisingly, most available evidence suggests that their style of hyperaggressive diplomacy wasn’t winning friends.
—Washington Post, 3 June 2021
Not only does the US have to contend with more contagious COVID variants from the UK and South Africa, but a hyperaggressive relaxation of COVID safety guidelines could spur additional outbreaks in the near future.
—Yoni Heisler, BGR, 16 Mar. 2021
This laid a baseline for effective appeals, but neither man put forth a vision for America’s future, except for brief moments separated by long stretches of interruptions, insults and invective, often from the hyperaggressive president.
—Karl Rove, WSJ, 30 Sep. 2020
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Auburn surprisingly sat out the quarterback transfer market a year ago but was hyperaggressive at the position this winter.
—Antonio Morales, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Few may be as hyperaggressive as the officers who killed Nichols, but their fear and belligerence can still evoke a reciprocal urge in a driver to talk back or flee, sparking a deadly cycle.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2023
The committee had squeezed donors with hyperaggressive new tactics.
—Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2022
Their hyperaggressive driving was deranged, but unfortunately not unusual.
—William Falk, The Week, 14 Aug. 2021
Unsurprisingly, most available evidence suggests that their style of hyperaggressive diplomacy wasn’t winning friends.
—Washington Post, 3 June 2021
Not only does the US have to contend with more contagious COVID variants from the UK and South Africa, but a hyperaggressive relaxation of COVID safety guidelines could spur additional outbreaks in the near future.
—Yoni Heisler, BGR, 16 Mar. 2021
This laid a baseline for effective appeals, but neither man put forth a vision for America’s future, except for brief moments separated by long stretches of interruptions, insults and invective, often from the hyperaggressive president.
—Karl Rove, WSJ, 30 Sep. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hyperaggressive
Adjective
-
The critics are not kind to him in either performance, but Scorsese is impressed with his work ethic and pugnacious attitude.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Mullin was known for a pugnacious attitude as a member of Congress and for his substantial wealth earned during his time in Washington, D.C.—
Dale Denwalt,
Oklahoman,
5 Mar. 2026
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
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
-
In a sea of gray-toned suits and uniforms, the woman trying to soothe her crying baby comes across as an outlier even before a belligerent young salaryman starts screaming at her for disturbing the peace.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
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Never has the United States had a secretary of defense less capable, more egregiously belligerent, or less suited to provide civilian direction of a war than Pete Hegseth.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
After the marathon day of negotiations over the weekend failed to secure a deal, Ghalibaf didn’t immediately revert to his bellicose rhetoric.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s bellicose and vengeful rhetoric describing the military’s war in Iran grew out of his experience in Iraq.—
Patricia Cohen Michael Crowley John Ismay David M. Halbfinger,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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
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Pursuing a double major—especially in two demanding or loosely connected fields—can, in some circumstances, come across as idealistic, unfocused, or overambitious.—
Christopher Rim,
Forbes.com,
13 Jan. 2026
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Meanwhile, the automaker's current lineup and product strategy feels both tired and overambitious.—
Aarian Marshall,
Wired News,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The 2019 Kennedy Center honoree, a protege of the late Leonard Bernstein, was a gifted pianist known for his exuberant compositions and ability to break down musical genres, and in particular, his dynamic interpretations of Gustav Mahler.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Nowhere is that dynamic more legible than in the figure of podcaster Theo Von.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hyperaggressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hyperaggressive. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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