Antonyms for pugnacious

Grammar : Adj

Spell : puhg-ney-shuhs

Phonetic Transcription : pʌgˈneɪ ʃəs

Definition of pugnacious

Origin : 1640s, a back-formation from pugnacity or else from Latin pugnacis, genitive of pugnax "combative, fond of fighting," from pugnare "to fight," especially with the fists, "contend against," from pugnus "a fist," from PIE *pung-, nasalized form of root *peuk-, *peug- "to stick, stab, to prick" (cf. Greek pyx "with clenched fist," pygme "fist, boxing," pyktes "boxer;" Latin pungere "to pierce, prick").

adj belligerent

Example sentences :

He went out of Onteora, that summer, in a blaze of pugnacious glory.
Extract from : « A Boy I Knew and Four Dogs » by Laurence Hutton

They are fierce, pugnacious animals, and are said to be more than a match for a bear.
Extract from : « The Captain of the Pole-Star and Other Tales » by Arthur Conan Doyle

The general disposition was choleric, pugnacious, litigious.
Extract from : « Blood and Iron » by John Hubert Greusel

Some one produced a bottle and offered the pugnacious one a drink.
Extract from : « Rim o' the World » by B. M. Bower

Hell was supposed to be very hot, very red, full of pugnacious demons.
Extract from : « The Paliser case » by Edgar Saltus

It is vicious and pugnacious and will fight snakes of any size.
Extract from : « Pathfinder » by Alan Douglas

Never was there a more pig-headed, arbitrary, positive, pugnacious fellow.
Extract from : « Stories of Comedy » by Various

"Get about your own business and leave us alone," advised the pugnacious chap.
Extract from : « Frank Merriwell's Pursuit » by Burt L. Standish

The Scotch are certainly a most pugnacious people; their whole history proves it.
Extract from : « Lavengro » by George Borrow

“Wait,” returned the more experienced and pugnacious prelate.
Extract from : « One Snowy Night » by Emily Sarah Holt

Synonyms for pugnacious

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019