as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
the players need to temper their pugnacity with a little self-restraint—their aggressive style of play too often results in penalties
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Recent Examples of pugnacity
But all of that is in addition to his defense, his rebounding, his slashing, his voice, his pugnacity.
—
Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Trump had won by fifty-three points there in 2016, and Greene’s paranoid pugnacity seemed like a good fit, if voters could stomach an outsider.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
That does not mean his pugnacity has dimmed.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2025
Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Trump had won by fifty-three points there in 2016, and Greene’s paranoid pugnacity seemed like a good fit, if voters could stomach an outsider.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
That does not mean his pugnacity has dimmed.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pugnacity
Noun
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Hegseth, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s premier forum for defense leaders, militaries and diplomats, said a stronger, more self-reliant network of allies is essential to deter aggression and preserve the balance of power.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
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Fudd started the second half with the Wings’ first bucket, her second 3-pointer of the game, and kept the aggression going, finishing the game with 9-of-15 shooting with three rebounds and two assists.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Lurie partly values Roseman because of his strategic aggressiveness to make sure great players are locked down long term.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
Some more aggressiveness on the bases as well.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Noun
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The idea is that those first steps would create space for gradual deescalation and an effective cessation of hostilities.—
Khaled Wassef,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
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The concept, previously presented in European animation settings including Annecy, was pitched as a YA story about mental health, identity, online hostility and self-acceptance.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pugnacity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pugnacity. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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