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Synonyms for pugnacious

Grammar : Adj
Spell : puhg-ney-shuhs
Phonetic Transcription : pʌgˈneɪ ʃəs

Top 10 synonyms for pugnacious
Other synonyms for the word pugnacious

Définition 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

Antonyms for pugnacious

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