combative
adjective
com·bat·ive
kəm-ˈba-tiv 
: marked by eagerness to fight or contend
combatively
adverb
combativeness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of combative in a Sentence
When the police tried to arrest him, he became combative.
channeling his naturally combative impulses into sports
Recent Examples on the Web
Jimmy Carter issued a blanket amnesty to Vietnam war draft evaders, following the end of the combative international struggle.
—
Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
President-elect Donald Trump and many of his allies have had a combative relationship with tech giants –— repeatedly accusing them of having too much power and sometimes wielding it in ways that negatively impacted him.
—Clare Duffy, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024
More:Trump names Karoline Leavitt youngest ever White House press secretary
Leavitt will take the podium at White House press briefings, which were often combative spectacles during Trump's first term.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 29 Nov. 2024
Gorka’s appearances on various talk shows gained favor with Trump, though Kelly opposed his often combative interviews, a person familiar with the situation told CNN.
—Ty Roush, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for combative 
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.
Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
President-elect Donald Trump and many of his allies have had a combative relationship with tech giants –— repeatedly accusing them of having too much power and sometimes wielding it in ways that negatively impacted him.
—Clare Duffy, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024
More:Trump names Karoline Leavitt youngest ever White House press secretary
Leavitt will take the podium at White House press briefings, which were often combative spectacles during Trump's first term.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 29 Nov. 2024
Gorka’s appearances on various talk shows gained favor with Trump, though Kelly opposed his often combative interviews, a person familiar with the situation told CNN.
—Ty Roush, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for combative
Dictionary Entries Near combative
Cite this Entry
“Combative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/combative. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share