bare-knuckle

adjective

variants also bare-knuckled or bare-knuckles
Definition of bare-knucklenext
as in gladiatorial

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bare-knuckle
  1. in-your-face
  2. combative
  3. pugnacious
  4. take-no-prisoners
  5. belligerent
  6. blood-and-guts
  7. militant
  8. bellicose
Adjective
  • On the runways, the in-your-face look has come in many flavors: Louis Vuitton and Chanel bring the glamour with carryalls dripping in rhinestones and sequins, while Gucci delivers a silver purse festooned with tiny circular disks all over.
    Kelsey Stewart, refinery29.com, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Jewell’s Elk Prairie Pinot Noir (Humboldt County) is a smooth and silky glass of comfort without the tug of aggressive tannins, the brashness of in-your-face fruit.
    Lana Bortolot, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of in-your-face
Adjective
  • Shortly after the beatdown, video footage leaked online showing the combative artist lying on the ground while being jabbed and stomped.
    Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Some warnings have cited Trump’s authoritarian rhetoric, willingness to undermine or malign institutions meant to constrain any president, and a combative style that strives to stretch executive power as far as possible.
    Victor Menaldo, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2025
Definition of combative
Adjective
  • On his way to the White House, Carter effectively rid his party — and the nation — of its most pugnacious segregationist, George Wallace of Alabama, by beating Wallace in the Florida Democratic primary.
    Randall Balmer, The Mercury News, 2 Jan. 2025
  • Even the pugnacious Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president from 2005 to 2012, sought to negotiate with the United States to resolve the nuclear impasse.
    Mohsen Milani, Foreign Affairs, 15 July 2015
Definition of pugnacious
Adjective
  • The Lions are the most complete team in the league, a byproduct of their fearless coach’s take-no-prisoners mantra.
    Zak Keefer, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
  • If there is any justice, and the election results could factor into this, Sebastian Stan, perfection as the younger Trump, and a terrific Jeremy Strong as his take-no-prisoners lawyer and mentor Roy Cohn both deserve Oscar consideration.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2024
Definition of take-no-prisoners
Adjective
  • What has succeeded in constraining Iran’s belligerent regional ambitions is a combination of aggressive, U.S.-orchestrated economic pressure and Israeli military and covert action to counter Iran’s regional proxies.
    Alina Polyakova, Foreign Affairs, 31 Dec. 2024
  • On Wednesday, a New York judge threatened to toss Trump out of the courtroom after the belligerent ex-President could be heard making disparaging comments about Carroll within earshot of the jury.
    John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 30 Dec. 2024
Definition of belligerent
Adjective
  • That realization elevates the film’s campy blood-and-guts from gore to gut-punch.
    Gráinne O'Hara Belluomo, WWD, 1 Dec. 2024
  • The striking contrast with everything heard earlier — not just the music but the blood-and-guts oratory — was bewildering, and in the midst of the temporary bewilderment, Melania emerged in her trim, bright-red skirt suit.
    Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 19 July 2024
Definition of blood-and-guts
Adjective
  • The attacker, a U.S. citizen who had proclaimed his support for the Islamic State militant group, was fatally shot in a firefight with police.
    Jack Brook and Sara Cline, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
  • Still, many Democrats are likely to object to the measure, especially more progressive lawmakers who have raised concerns about Israel’s devastating war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, where more than 46,000 people have died.
    Brad Dress, The Hill, 6 Jan. 2025
Definition of militant
Adjective
  • The United States and China appear destined for a military conflict, with bellicose rhetoric on both sides, an escalating arms race and Beijing widely considered the most serious threat to the U.S. since the Cold War.
    Brad Dress, The Hill, 7 Jan. 2025
  • Through bellicose rhetoric and impulsive actions, Washington might provoke crises similar to that which followed the 2022 visit to Taiwan by Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the House, when China responded to U.S. provocation by stepping up its military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait.
    Yan Xuetong, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024
Definition of bellicose
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near bare-knuckle

barefaced

bare-knuckle

barely

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Cite this Entry

“Bare-knuckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bare-knuckle. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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