PUGNACIOUS Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

pugnacious

adjective

ˌpəg-ˈnā-shəs

Definition of pugnacious next

as in aggressive

feeling or displaying eagerness to fight a movie reviewer who is spirited, even pugnacious, when defending her opinions

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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

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 pugnacious The normally pugnacious Trump campaign took the rare step of distancing itself from Hinchcliffe. —

Jill Colvin, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2024 Sebastian Stan plays a young Trump rising to power in the New York real estate world under the lascivious mentorship of pugnacious power broker Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). —

Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 27 Oct. 2024 The pugnacious owner even claimed to have gotten into a fistfight with Dodgers fans in an elevator in the Hyatt Wilshire Hotel in 1981 after the Dodgers won three straight in L.A. to take the lead in the World Series 3-2. —

Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024 She is widely regarded as a pragmatist who lacks the charisma, oratory skills and pugnacious nature of the outgoing populist president. —

Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pugnacious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pugnacious

Adjective

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
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