pugilists

plural of pugilist
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

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 pugilists To his credit, the bloodied Yankees fan fought back much better than most pugilists who give up the high ground. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pugilists
Noun
  • Mac and Rian were up the mountain this morning because Rian had gotten into a fight with a classmate, who, like Rian, was nine years old, and also from a family of brothers -- except the Sullivans were all boxers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Tina Chance, the novel’s protagonist, is one of the most successful female boxers in the country, let alone her small Florida town.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Other British Iron Age leaders also produced coins, but those portray clearly male fighters.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The disclosures began during Ethiopia’s 2020–22 war between federal forces and Tigrayan fighters.
    — Amir Aman Kiyaro, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • The family said the diagnosis likely stemmed from his racing career — one in which drivers raced like gladiators but without the safety protections that have been put in place in the past two decades.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Rome — Rome’s ancient Colosseum, where gladiators were once gored by wild animals to the delight of cheering crowds, has never exactly been associated with safety.
    — Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pugilists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pugilists. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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