combativeness

noun

Definition of combativenessnext
as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel the boxer was known more for his unbridled combativeness than for his technical skill

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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 combativeness Transport second Warning signs of heat stroke include dizziness, headache, nausea, severe fatigue, and can include confusion, combativeness or potential loss of consciousness, Casa says. — Scott Neuman, NPR, 29 July 2026 But there is a far more important influence Dobeš can have on this series than his combativeness, and that is his puckhandling. — Sean Gentille, New York Times, 23 May 2026 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 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
  1. aggression
  2. aggressiveness
  3. hostility
Noun
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a strategic partnership agreement in 2024 that pledged mutual aid if either country faced aggression.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • End the war and aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq forever.
    — Tiago Ventura, Time, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of aggression
Noun
  • She’s learned how to channel her competitiveness and aggressiveness in a much better way, a more productive way.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026
  • If Yesavage can maintain that aggressiveness over the rest of the season, the Jays won’t have to worry about their funky righty.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of aggressiveness
Noun
  • Iran doubled down on its demands for reopening the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, insisting that the US and its allies unfreeze its assets and end hostilities across the region.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • As the specter of rising interest rates and hostilities in the Middle East remain wildcards, skeptics are holding firm.
    — Bloomberg, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of hostility

Browse Nearby Words

combative
combativeness
combats
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Combativeness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/combativeness. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All