1
as in controversial
given to arguing
he's too argumentative to be part of a project in which teamwork is critical
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
an argumentative gang of bullies always looking for a fight
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of argumentative
Venezuela’s ordeal reverberates in the author’s argumentative family: its members’ painful dependencies, moral shortcomings, and monetary mismanagement reflect their country’s breakdowns.
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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
Despite that reality, during the strike, the auto industry’s response was an uninspiring combination of offense (attacking UAW leader Shawn Fain for challenging the unwritten labor rules) and argumentative defense.
—Adam Hanft, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for argumentative 
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
Despite that reality, during the strike, the auto industry’s response was an uninspiring combination of offense (attacking UAW leader Shawn Fain for challenging the unwritten labor rules) and argumentative defense.
—Adam Hanft, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for argumentative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for argumentative
Adjective
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The charter system itself, established in 2016, has been controversial, offering teams guaranteed spots in races and apparent financial stability.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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Rosberg responded by securing pole position in Monaco after a controversial trip down the escape road in qualifying, converting that pole into a win and regaining the championship lead.Yara Elshebiny, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Kristin talks with peers, peers’ parents, and every staff member, explaining how the dog is trained, how to behave around it, and soothing any worries regarding potential aggressive actions.Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
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What drove a lot of interest and buzz around the movie was a reported real-life feud between Blake Lively and star/director Justin Baldoni, which featured things like dramatic press tours, people not following people on Instagram and some passive aggressive press comments.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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If the appeals court ruling stands, the next chapter in the TikTok saga will likely unfold in the Supreme Court, where legal experts predict a contentious debate over the intersection of national security and free speech.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
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But Dead & Company have not shied from using their touring to platform more contentious causes.Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Syrian escalations take place as Assad’s allies Russia and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have been increasingly distracted by battle on their own home fronts, engaging Ukraine and Israel, respectively.Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 8 Dec. 2024
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But Western hopes of a more moderate Syria sank when the new leader promptly maintained his country’s traditional ties with militant groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.Simone McCarthy, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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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
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The motion picture industry first moved aggressively into polemical territory during the prewar interregnum from 1939 to 1941, when Europe was at war but America wasn’t.Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024
Adjective
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In story mode, there are a few other people to find on the island, some of whom will be helpful and others hostile.Jason Bennett, arkansasonline.com, 15 Dec. 2024
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In June, a former employee sued Neuralink and accused it of hosting a discriminatory and hostile work environment, claiming that they had not been given proper protective gear while working with the monkeys.William Gavin, Quartz, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Fed’s preferred inflation measure — the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index — is due Friday and could similarly show stubborn price pressures.Bryan Mena, CNN, 18 Dec. 2024
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While the overall economic picture is starting to look better, stubborn inflation and the prospect of new tariffs when President-elect Donald Trump takes office seem to give mid-market leaders pause.Megan Poinski, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Even if a more irritable side of her personality has emerged, there’s no excuse for cruelty.R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2024
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In worst-case scenarios, pain can cause a dog to be more irritable and aggressive, like if a human had a severe headache and couldn't tolerate social interaction, Enomoto said.Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Argumentative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/argumentative. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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