Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Eager or disposed to fight. synonym: belligerent.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Disposed to combat; pugnacious; showing a disposition to fight, contend, or oppose.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Disposed to engage in combat; pugnacious.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Given to
fighting ; disposed to engage incombat ;pugnacious .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective having or showing a ready disposition to fight
- adjective striving to overcome in argument
- adjective inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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The Microsoft-Spurned Researcher Collective is also challenging what it describes as a combative attitude among software vendors toward independent and third-party security researchers.
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Even within conservative circles, he has made some enemies, possibly due to what some describe as a combative personality.
Steve Anderson: Small Gov't=Fewer FDA Inspectors=Tainted Imported Food: Thanks, Republicans. 2008
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Bolivia's president remained in combative mood, telling Brazilian TV that some foreign oil companies were no better than "smugglers".
Bi-regional strategic interests (whatever they may be) Helen 2006
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In a pale grey suit and open-neck white shirt, Green revels in his persona as an old-school jetsetter, a bon vivant. - though he has been called combative businessman, even a bully.
Thestar.com - Home Page David Graham 2011
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So a strongly worded objective statement is moderated as "combative" -- but a personal attack goes unchallenged?
Source: Clinton Camp In Holding Pattern, Waiting On Obama 2009
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Be that as it may, what Marshall wrote about advertising has been cribbed by many later economists, and it has become orthodox economic doctrine to hold that "combative" - or "persuasive" - advertising is economic waste.
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SANCHEZ: Senator Barack Obama after what many would describe as a combative day yesterday with Senator John McCain, already commenting earlier in the day about these record oil price profits.
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Miliband had worked together for years, with Mr Balls always the senior partner, and because he was known as a combative politician who was closely associated with Gordon Brown.
BBC News - Home 2011
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"It was also noted that when the young man regained consciousness, he became extremely combative, which is not uncommon with closed-head injuries."
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"It was also noted that when the young man regained consciousness, he became extremely combative, which is not uncommon with closed-head injuries."
Glenwood Springs Post Independent - Top Stories Caitlin Row Summit County correspondent Glenwood S 2010
kmassie commented on the word combative
From the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.pg.93
"We are forbidden to engage in any combative exercise with another tribute."
November 29, 2010