1
as in controversial
given to arguing
he's too argumentative to be part of a project in which teamwork is critical
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
an argumentative gang of bullies always looking for a fight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in contentious
relating to or causing the expression of opposing opinions
a topic that sparked more than a few argumentative conversations around the watercooler
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 argumentative
While there’s an occasional corny line here, Hanna and Sander wisely keep dialogue on the humorous and/or argumentative side — after all, these are figures who’ve learned the hard way not to admit emotional vulnerability.
—
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
Venezuela’s ordeal reverberates in the author’s argumentative family: its members’ painful dependencies, moral shortcomings, and monetary mismanagement reflect their country’s breakdowns.
—Paula Ramón, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
As the scene progresses and gets more dynamically argumentative, the characters move into and through the lighting.
—Scott Huver, Variety, 20 Dec. 2023
At one point, Judge Michael Gaffey told Chaudhry not to be argumentative when Chaudhry asked Jabbari if the club was loud.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 7 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for argumentative 
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
Venezuela’s ordeal reverberates in the author’s argumentative family: its members’ painful dependencies, moral shortcomings, and monetary mismanagement reflect their country’s breakdowns.
—Paula Ramón, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
As the scene progresses and gets more dynamically argumentative, the characters move into and through the lighting.
—Scott Huver, Variety, 20 Dec. 2023
At one point, Judge Michael Gaffey told Chaudhry not to be argumentative when Chaudhry asked Jabbari if the club was loud.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 7 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for argumentative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for argumentative
Adjective
-
Much like today, tariffs were controversial in the late 19th century.Einav Rabinovitch-Fox / Made by History, TIME, 7 Jan. 2025
-
Exactly who gets to determine when Ramadan begins and ends is controversial.Jamie Carter, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Take London, which was a clear hotspot (and will continue to be, for some time): Mandarin Oriental opened its second spot in the capital, barely minutes in a limo from its existing Knightsbridge perch, while Maybourne’s soon-to-be aggressive expansion was teed up by the arrival of the sleek Emory.Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 11 Jan. 2025
-
The state has been one of the most aggressive collectors of income taxes paid based on the number of workdays high earners spend there.Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The map of the area today has been drawn by a convoluted history of interstate wars, outside interference, contentious politics within both the Israeli and Palestinian communities, and aborted attempts at a peaceful resolution.Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2025
-
The change would weaken legislative control and give Wisconsinites more direct input on contentious policies.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The attacker, a U.S. citizen who had proclaimed his support for the Islamic State militant group, was fatally shot in a firefight with police.Jack Brook and Sara Cline, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
-
Citing an unnamed senior Hamas official, the BBC reported on Monday the list it was shown by the Palestinian militant group includes 10 women, as well as young children.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Some of the more polemical responses to my survey framed podcasting’s pivot to video as a by-product of major tech platforms, specifically Spotify and YouTube, cynically redefining the concept of a podcast to further fuel their attacks on one another.Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
-
When pluralism implies of ideas, of ideologies, of parties, sometimes inimical to each other, sometimes polemical, sometimes in the attempt to make compromises in order to rule a country.Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2016
Adjective
-
Both saw themselves as outsiders in a hostile environment.Ruth Margalit, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
-
In public, her tics are often met with stares and whispers — or at worst, hostile confrontations — from nearby strangers.Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The stubborn machine has won, and politicians are, for the most part, just fodder, which means that every politician who has to stand in front of a camera after a tragedy turns into another battle site in an endless culture war.Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2025
-
The bigger question is what happens if the economy, and in particular the labor market, weakens while inflation remains stubborn.Ben Casselman, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Coupled with erratic blood sugar levels – often caused by diets high in refined sugars and low in nutrients – these energy dips and spikes can leave you feeling irritable and drained.Lina Begdache, The Conversation, 7 Jan. 2025
-
This can contribute to symptoms such as fatigue, muscle aches, and irritable mood.Rosanna Sutherby, PharmD, Verywell Health, 3 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to argumentative
Thesaurus Entries Near argumentative
Cite this Entry
“Argumentative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/argumentative. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share