as in boxers
one that engages in the sport of fighting with the fists
a pugilist with the trademark of the boxing ring: a nose that showed signs of having been broken on more than one occasion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pugilists
Noun
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Also featured in the photo shoot are a pink colorway of the Sinful Rose print, boxers, lace-up bodysuits and more.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026 -
Purists don’t want to see these gimmicky fights become the future of the sport, but when the financial reward of fighting the Jake Paul’s of the world is so high, more professional boxers are bound to want a piece of the pie.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
20 Dec. 2025
Noun
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At the time, White had been a Vegas gym owner and managed fighters like Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
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Jimenez-Guzel and Mirreh, along with other alleged co-conspirators, agreed to travel to Turkey in November and join ISIS as fighters, according to the federal complaint.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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That is gladiators without swords.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
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That is gladiators without swords.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
8 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Pugilists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pugilists. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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