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 in combat; 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

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Examples

  • 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.

    EarthWeb IT Management News & Views 2010

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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.

    Should Advertising Be Abolished? 1963

  • 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.

    CNN Transcript Jul 31, 2008 2008

  • 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

  • "It was also noted that when the young man regained consciousness, he became extremely combative, which is not uncommon with closed-head injuries."

    Summit Daily News - Top Stories 2010

  • "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

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  • 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