Pugnacious
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /pʌɡˈneɪ.ʃəs/ · Part of speech adjective
Quick meaning: Pugnacious is an adjective meaning Naturally aggressive or hostile; combative; belligerent; bellicose.
Meaning
Naturally aggressive or hostile; combative; belligerent; bellicose.
Example Sentences
As he made the demand he spat out a mouthful of blood and teeth and shoved his pugnacious face close to Oofty-Oofty.
In the face of bad news Churchill normally became even more pugnacious, always wanting to respond to defeat by going on the attack.
Not that the doctor was a bully, or even pugnacious, in the usual sense of the word; he had no disposition to provoke a fight, no propense love of quarrelling.
In a speech this weekend, Ms. Le Pen suggested that her “pugnacious” young protégé, Jordan Bardella, who is one of the most popular politicians in France, was ready to become prime minister.
Synonyms for pugnacious
Depending on context, synonyms include rough, aggressive, tough, hard-boiled, hard-bitten.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include aggressive, hard-bitten, tough, rough, hard-boiled, belligerent.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.