as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
a movie reviewer who is spirited, even pugnacious, when defending her opinions
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pugnacious
He’s defended cops and lawyers who’ve gotten in trouble and crafted a reputation as a pugnacious advocate for often high-profile clients in high-stakes cases.
—
Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2025
Image The often pugnacious Mr. Connolly criticized a Republican bill in 2024 to rename Dulles International Airport, some of whose employees live in his district, after Mr. Trump.
—Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Paul is pugnacious, especially with the detectives when his criminal past prompts them to question him as a possible suspect.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025
The new man likely will bring a tad of pugnacious energy that is needed to the club.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pugnacious
Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2025
Image The often pugnacious Mr. Connolly criticized a Republican bill in 2024 to rename Dulles International Airport, some of whose employees live in his district, after Mr. Trump.
—Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Paul is pugnacious, especially with the detectives when his criminal past prompts them to question him as a possible suspect.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025
The new man likely will bring a tad of pugnacious energy that is needed to the club.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pugnacious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pugnacious
Adjective
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But even in Alberta, a province that has favored development, the legacy policies are still likely not aggressive enough to meet the moment.—
Mark Le Dain,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
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Most recently the administration asked the Supreme Court to clear the way for downsizing the federal workforce despite multiple court rulings that congressional approval is needed to make such aggressive reductions.—
Ragan Whitlock,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2025
Adjective
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The Islamic State militant group (ISIS) operates both east and west of Iran and has also stepped up operations within the Islamic Republic itself, having claimed the deadliest operation in the nation's post-revolutionary history in January 2024.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
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Bondi also shared that over 1,000 Iranian nationals have entered the country illegally in recent years and said law enforcement agencies are actively investigating them for possible ties to foreign militant groups.—
Elaine Mallon,
The Washington Examiner,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, Syria has turned from a fertile ground to a hostile one for Iran and its assets, after the Assad regime was toppled in December.—
Lina Khatib,
Time,
19 June 2025
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By contrast, the U.S. had appeared openly skeptical and was often even seen as hostile.—
Ozan Ozerk,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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The highly contentious ordinance faced months of City Council debate before passing in a 27-to-22 vote.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2025
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The topic of banning phones at gigs has been a contentious one over the years, with artists wishing for fans to live in the moment, and fans desiring a chance to memorialize their concert experiences.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pugnacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pugnacious. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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