combative

adjective

com·​bat·​ive kəm-ˈba-tiv How to pronounce combative (audio)
: marked by eagerness to fight or contend
combatively adverb
combativeness noun

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 Normally during the arrest of a potentially combative person, officers work in teams and are each given a specific role, such as holding a ballistic shield or providing cover with a firearm or a less-lethal weapon. Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 These sessions, as many Democrats pointed out, were combative, full of invective, and almost entirely devoid of substance. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024 If a parent’s relationship with the child is shaky (read: contentious, angry, combative, passive-aggressive, fear-based), power struggles are more common. Meghan Leahy, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024 None of those positions, however, involved a daily on-camera barrage from combative journalists, the kind of challenge that requires command over a dizzying array of topics and the verbal reflexes of an auctioneer. Michael M. Grynbaum, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2024 Experts say Prabowo, known for his fiery speeches, military background and combative past will make for a very different kind of president. Heather Chen, CNN, 18 Feb. 2024 The sobering center is not right for anyone who shows signs of trauma or needs sutures, is combative or violent or has vital signs outside a certain range, among other qualifiers on a 14-point checklist that medics and the center staffer both sign. Jenna Portnoy, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024 This person made our team very uncomfortable during calls, was strangely combative and defensive, and was generally very difficult to work with. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 Kevin Hart: Chihuahua The combative, diminutive foil to his (mastiff) co-star. Rohita Kadambi, The New Yorker, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'combative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of combative was in 1826

Dictionary Entries Near combative

Cite this Entry

“Combative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/combative. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

combative

adjective
com·​bat·​ive kəm-ˈbat-iv How to pronounce combative (audio)
: eager to fight : pugnacious
combativeness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on combative

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!