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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The two most prominent boxers of their generation will meet again 11 years after Mayweather beat Pacquiao by decision in a fight that didn’t live up to the decade of hype preceding it.—
Greg Beacham,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026 -
What used to take a boutique agency in Soho three weeks, a $50,000 budget and a crew of 20 can now be spat out by a guy in his boxers at two in the morning using Midjourney and Sora.—
Michele Zanello,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Many are wives or widows of IS fighters and their children.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
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News Underneath the Shujaiya neighborhood in Gaza City, mattresses once used by Hamas fighters remain on the floor of a dormitory built in a tunnel by the militant group.—
Marissa Martinez,
NBC news,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Being trained in combat, and armed with swords, spears, and bows and arrows, the gladiators were able to turn the tables on the wild beasts; the result was another predictable slaughter, in this case of the animals.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
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There were dancing gladiators and moka pots, a phalanx of runway models dressed (in Armani) in green, white and red, to represent the Italian flag.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Pugilists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pugilists. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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