hawkish

adjective

hawk·​ish ˈhȯ-kish 

1

: resembling or suggesting a hawk or the beak of a hawk in appearance

a hawkish nose

He has a thatch of black curly hair and hawkish features.

—Jeff Shear

2

: having a militant attitude (as in a dispute) and advocating immediate vigorous action

especially : supporting war or warlike policies

a hawkish politician

He was a frequent and persistently hawkish participant in the war councils of the Administration.

—Vincent Blasi

While definitions vary, "neoconservative" generally refers to formerly moderate policy advocates who favor a hawkish and assertive foreign policy to implant democracy and American values abroad.

—Paul Richter

hawkishly adverb

Land is expensive, scarce, and watched hawkishly by environmentalists.

—Boston Magazine

hawkishness noun

… his Western anti-government philosophy and cold-war hawkishness…

—Jon Meacham

Examples of hawkish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But those calling the shots at the top are far more hawkish—Trump, Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz—and the administration’s policy to date has largely reflected their inclinations. —Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2025

But the increased post-pandemic arrivals of Venezuelans seeking asylum have caused a split in the community, with some moving, along with other Americans, to a more hawkish view on immigration. —Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, 3 Feb. 2025

If Trump adds even more pressure on China over AI, proponents of a more hawkish strategy believe China’s house of AI cards may crumble. —Matt Egan, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025

Trump and many of his advisers are more hawkish on China than on Russia, but that does not mean Trump would risk direct conflict with China if Chinese forces blockaded Taiwan. —Robin Niblett, Foreign Affairs, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hawkish

• mawkish