Synonyms of pugnacious

pugnacious

adjective

ˌpəg-ˈnā-shəs 

as in aggressive

feeling or displaying eagerness to fight

a movie reviewer who is spirited, even pugnacious, when defending her opinions

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aggressive
• militant
• hostile
• contentious
• irritable
• belligerent
• feisty
• combative
• confrontational
• assaultive
• bellicose
• warlike
• ugly
• fierce
• acidic
• truculent
• quarrelsome
• agonistic
• argumentative
• disputatious
• scrappy
• vicious
• savage
• gladiatorial
• chippy
• rude
• brawly
• antagonistic
• discordant
• irascible
• on the warpath
• ornery
• petulant
• disagreeable
• peevish
• cross
• snappish
• querulous
• fighting
• fretful
• waspish
• surly
• bilious
• hot-tempered
• grumpy
• choleric
• fractious
• grouchy
• dyspeptic
• testy
• bristly
• warring
• ill-tempered
• pettish
• huffy
• touchy
• crabby
• cranky
• stroppy
• battling
• ill-humored
• ill-natured
• prickly
• bearish
• snappy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• peaceable
• peaceful
• nonaggressive
• pacific
• amiable
• friendly
• pleasant
• unwarlike
• affable
• benevolent
• gracious
• good-natured
• conciliatory
• easygoing
• genial
• cordial
• amicable
• uncontentious
• sociable
• nonbelligerent
• complaisant
• ingratiating
• quiet
• calm
• kindhearted
• obliging
• uncombative
• unbelligerent
• serene
• tranquil
• mild
• gentle
• benign
• relaxed
• good-tempered
• antimilitarist
• anti-imperialist
• kindly

Synonym Chooser

How is the word pugnacious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of pugnacious are bellicose, belligerent, contentious, and quarrelsome. While all these words mean "having an aggressive or fighting attitude," pugnacious suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat.

a pugnacious gangster

In what contexts can bellicose take the place of pugnacious?

The synonyms bellicose and pugnacious are sometimes interchangeable, but bellicose suggests a disposition to fight.

a drunk in a bellicose mood

When would belligerent be a good substitute for pugnacious?

While the synonyms belligerent and pugnacious are close in meaning, belligerent often implies being actually at war or engaged in hostilities.

belligerent nations

Where would contentious be a reasonable alternative to pugnacious?

Although the words contentious and pugnacious have much in common, contentious implies perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling.

wearied by his contentious disposition

When is it sensible to use quarrelsome instead of pugnacious?

The meanings of quarrelsome and pugnacious largely overlap; however, quarrelsome stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause.

the heat made us all quarrelsome

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pugnacious

Impetus has come from pugnacious American owner John Textor, but also from the players themselves. —Jack Lang, New York Times, 20 June 2025

That would be offering leaks to Above the Law, a pugnacious legal industry website best known for scoops about law firm annual bonuses, snarky coverage of legal news and salacious stories of barristers behaving badly. —Elizabeth Williamson, New York Times, 18 May 2025

Expect more extraterrestrial viruses, gobs of green goo, pugnacious parasites, ailing hybrid creatures, and the controversial prospect of a new mind control therapy. —Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 May 2025

As the documentary captures, Billy Joel arrived as a romantic pop star who was also a pugnacious fighter. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 June 2025

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