as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
a seafarer's legend that the remote island was inhabited by a warlike and uncivilized tribe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 warlike
Writing in the journal Current Biology, researchers from Harvard University found that male bonobos actually engage in three times the amount of mano-a-mano combat than their more warlike cousin, the chimpanzee.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 5 June 2024
In daytime, younger men engage in ferocious warlike dances and combative ceremonial dialogues that spark more commentary from the smiling oldsters.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 May 2024
The inclusion of protest songs and the desire of the local community together to fight off the invaders is imbued with warlike determination and revolutionary zeal.
—Martin Dale, Variety, 17 May 2024
The group, which the ADL says emphasizes physical fitness and a warlike mentality, has focused mostly on disrupting events oriented toward the LGBTQ community, such as Drag Queen Story Hour readings for children.
—Tavleen Tarrant, NBC News, 19 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for warlike
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 5 June 2024
In daytime, younger men engage in ferocious warlike dances and combative ceremonial dialogues that spark more commentary from the smiling oldsters.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 May 2024
The inclusion of protest songs and the desire of the local community together to fight off the invaders is imbued with warlike determination and revolutionary zeal.
—Martin Dale, Variety, 17 May 2024
The group, which the ADL says emphasizes physical fitness and a warlike mentality, has focused mostly on disrupting events oriented toward the LGBTQ community, such as Drag Queen Story Hour readings for children.
—Tavleen Tarrant, NBC News, 19 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for warlike
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warlike
Adjective
-
Nonprofits focused on such issues could be seen as antagonistic to the company’s aggressive commercialization efforts.—
Hayden Field,
CNBC,
23 May 2025
-
The 82-year-old was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, the second most common cancer among men, with 1 in 8 being diagnosed in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.—
Sam Woodward,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
Israel blames civilian casualties on Hamas because the militant group operates from civilian areas.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2025
-
Saturday's summit comes two months after Israel ended a ceasefire reached with the Hamas militant group in January.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 May 2025
Adjective
-
And Marguerite did actually manage to live there for years, scraping together a life on the hostile tundra.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2025
-
And this is a very hard-line government that has taken a kind of hostile view of everybody in the region.—
Obed Manuel,
NPR,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Warlike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warlike. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share