as in boxer
one that engages in the sport of fighting with the fists
a pugilist with the trademark of the boxing ring: a nose that showed signs of having been broken on more than one occasion
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Examples of pugilist in a Sentence
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Since then, Paul has fought a series of MMA fighters, former professional boxers and basketball players that has boosted him to a 9-1 record (6 by KO), with his one loss coming at the hands of the only active pugilist he’s faced to date, Tommy Fury, in Feb. 2023.
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Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2024
Over the last couple of years, Residente has emerged as an industry pugilist, willing to fight against the commercial forces that can overpower the music scene.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024
Her higher profile — as cheerleader, prosecutor, pugilist — is a reset of sorts after Harris’ many early missteps and a series of assignments, among them immigration reform and border control, that seemed destined to fail.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2024
In a nod to his Italian heritage, Mr. Kelly, a onetime pugilist born Paolo Antonio Vaccarelli, renamed the saloon Little Naples.
—Alex Vadukul, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for pugilist 
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2024
Over the last couple of years, Residente has emerged as an industry pugilist, willing to fight against the commercial forces that can overpower the music scene.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024
Her higher profile — as cheerleader, prosecutor, pugilist — is a reset of sorts after Harris’ many early missteps and a series of assignments, among them immigration reform and border control, that seemed destined to fail.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2024
In a nod to his Italian heritage, Mr. Kelly, a onetime pugilist born Paolo Antonio Vaccarelli, renamed the saloon Little Naples.
—Alex Vadukul, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for pugilist
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pugilist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Pugilist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pugilist. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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