argumentative

adjective

ar·​gu·​men·​ta·​tive ˌär-gyə-ˈmen-tə-tiv 

variants or less commonly argumentive

ˌär-gyə-ˈmen-tiv 

1

: given to argument : tending to argue : having or showing a tendency to disagree or argue with other people in an angry way : disputatious

He became argumentative when confronted with the allegation.

an argumentative temperament

… had been a pigheaded, argumentative, irascible, and unlikable man …

—Colleen McCullough

2

: consisting of or characterized by argument

argumentative discourse

aired their opinions in an argumentative way

argumentatively adverb

Synonyms

• contentious
• controversial
• disputatious
• polemical
• polemic
• quarrelsome
• scrappy

Examples of argumentative in a Sentence

He became more argumentative during the debate.

he's too argumentative to be part of a project in which teamwork is critical

Recent Examples on the Web

Sometimes, defiant and argumentative behavior results when a child attempts to assert control. —Amy Morin, Parents, 24 July 2024

John Gottman and his wife Julie Schwartz Gottman have seen their fair share of argumentative blunders in their decades of research on couples. —Allie Volpe, Vox, 12 May 2024

After 11 argumentative public hearings and much political grandstanding, the Common Council approved the artwork, which was dedicated in April 1982. —Journal Sentinel, 23 May 2024

While there’s an occasional corny line here, Hanna and Sander wisely keep dialogue on the humorous and/or argumentative side — after all, these are figures who’ve learned the hard way not to admit emotional vulnerability. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see argue

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

argumentative

adjective

ar·​gu·​men·​ta·​tive ˌär-gyə-ˈment-ət-iv 

: marked by or given to argument : quarrelsome

argumentatively adverb