as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
the boxer was known more for his unbridled combativeness than for his technical skill
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Recent Examples of combativeness
As a student at Dartmouth College, Dhillon doubled down on her political beliefs with a combativeness that foreshadowed her later commitment to MAGA.
—
Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026
But Bondi decided the moment called for combativeness, not contrition.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
Bessent’s combativeness is, in part, a sign of the times, said David Lublin, chair of the Department of Government at American University’s School of Public Affairs.
—Fatima Hussein, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
For Republicans, the primary has become a struggle over how to keep Texas red, with their party weighing steadiness, combativeness and reinvention in the post-Trump era.
—Gromer Jeffers Jr.
political, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
For those reading the tea leaves about the level of combativeness that next year’s talks could bring, some members of the strike-era leadership are back in 2026.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2025
In a derby that former Manchester United captain Roy Keane bemoaned for the lack of combativeness and local representation, Khusanov played like a kid from Stockport finally getting to live out his dream of flattening everyone in a red jersey.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Republican politicians have canceled meetings or opted to hold them virtually in response to criticism and combativeness from voters, and some Democratic town halls have also been targeted.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026
But Bondi decided the moment called for combativeness, not contrition.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
Bessent’s combativeness is, in part, a sign of the times, said David Lublin, chair of the Department of Government at American University’s School of Public Affairs.
—Fatima Hussein, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
For Republicans, the primary has become a struggle over how to keep Texas red, with their party weighing steadiness, combativeness and reinvention in the post-Trump era.
—Gromer Jeffers Jr.
political, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
For those reading the tea leaves about the level of combativeness that next year’s talks could bring, some members of the strike-era leadership are back in 2026.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2025
In a derby that former Manchester United captain Roy Keane bemoaned for the lack of combativeness and local representation, Khusanov played like a kid from Stockport finally getting to live out his dream of flattening everyone in a red jersey.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Republican politicians have canceled meetings or opted to hold them virtually in response to criticism and combativeness from voters, and some Democratic town halls have also been targeted.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for combativeness
Noun
-
For her, this was practically homicidal aggression.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
-
Race, bad bosses and the fly-on-the-wall fun of watching office politics and micro-aggressions play out makes this workplace suspense novel a total page-turner (as well as a binge-worthy limited television series).—
Laura Zigman,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Embiid’s aggressiveness early — along with Tyrese Maxey’s speed and ability to put defenders in bad positions — put the Knicks in unfavorable foul trouble early.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
-
The team with the league’s highest payroll going down in the first round to a heavy underdog is bad for business, but Allen changed the entire dynamic with his defensive aggressiveness and rebounding.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
As this sequence plays out, the social fabric further shreds and unravels; trust circles shrink and become ever more homogeneous; and hostility, mean spiritedness, and a general hardening take hold in society.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
-
The president did send a letter to Congress, just to recap, saying that hostilities have been terminated, given the ceasefire that was put in place on April 7th.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Combativeness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combativeness. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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