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
Impetus has come from pugnacious American owner John Textor, but also from the players themselves.
—
Jack Lang, New York Times, 20 June 2025
That would be offering leaks to Above the Law, a pugnacious legal industry website best known for scoops about law firm annual bonuses, snarky coverage of legal news and salacious stories of barristers behaving badly.
—Elizabeth Williamson, New York Times, 18 May 2025
Expect more extraterrestrial viruses, gobs of green goo, pugnacious parasites, ailing hybrid creatures, and the controversial prospect of a new mind control therapy.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 May 2025
As the documentary captures, Billy Joel arrived as a romantic pop star who was also a pugnacious fighter.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pugnacious
Jack Lang, New York Times, 20 June 2025
That would be offering leaks to Above the Law, a pugnacious legal industry website best known for scoops about law firm annual bonuses, snarky coverage of legal news and salacious stories of barristers behaving badly.
—Elizabeth Williamson, New York Times, 18 May 2025
Expect more extraterrestrial viruses, gobs of green goo, pugnacious parasites, ailing hybrid creatures, and the controversial prospect of a new mind control therapy.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 May 2025
As the documentary captures, Billy Joel arrived as a romantic pop star who was also a pugnacious fighter.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pugnacious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pugnacious
Adjective
-
Sadly, Minx was soon diagnosed with an aggressive cancer.—
Staff Author,
People.com,
22 July 2025
-
An aggressive hitter, Naylor can get extremely hot, and carry a team with drives to the gap or bombs over the fence.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
Israel declared war on Hamas after the militant group's soldiers launched a surprise attack on the Jewish state, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
Trump has been uniquely willing to break with Israel on many issues—for instance, by making deals with the Houthi militant group in Yemen and opening a diplomatic dialogue with Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Shara, despite his past alignment with al-Qaeda.—
ZAHA HASSAN,
Foreign Affairs,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
Five days later, on July 8, an attorney for the city manager submitted a letter of potential claim against the city citing defamation, harassment and creation of a hostile work environment.—
Anita Edmondson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 July 2025
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In early October 2022, the ruling said, McCarty filed a hostile work environment complaint with the police department.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Although sometimes contentious, his most recent appearance lacked the acrimony from lawmakers who had accused the director and the lottery's oversight board of misleading the Legislature about the courier companies.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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After the initially contentious plan in 1994 to establish a citywide youth curfew, part of the plan involved extending hours at recreation centers in Evanston and Price Hill.—
David Ferrara,
The Enquirer,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pugnacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pugnacious. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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