1
obsolete
: ready for war : equipped to fight
2
: fit for, disposed to, or fond of war : bellicose
a warlike people
3
: of, relating to, or useful in war
warlike preparations
4
: befitting or characteristic of war or a soldier
warlike cries
Synonyms
Examples of warlike in a Sentence
The government has been criticized for its warlike attitude.
a seafarer's legend that the remote island was inhabited by a warlike and uncivilized tribe
Recent Examples on the Web
Freyja, however, is a more warlike goddess, and even has a part in selecting warriors for her hall in the afterlife.
—
Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
Some characters die violently in a warlike atmosphere, and the remaining ones struggle with their losses.
—Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 12 July 2024
China is constantly searching for opportunities to take bits of territory and catch its opponent by surprise, without taking overt warlike actions.
—Brahma Chellaney, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2021
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
See all Example Sentences for warlike 
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.
Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
Some characters die violently in a warlike atmosphere, and the remaining ones struggle with their losses.
—Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 12 July 2024
China is constantly searching for opportunities to take bits of territory and catch its opponent by surprise, without taking overt warlike actions.
—Brahma Chellaney, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2021
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
See all Example Sentences for warlike
Dictionary Entries Near warlike
Cite this Entry
“Warlike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warlike. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
warlike
adjective
war·like
ˈwȯ(ə)r-ˌlīk 
1
: fond of war
warlike people
2
: of, relating to, or used in war
warlike preparations
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share