SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
combative
adjective
Ready or eager to argue, oppose, or fight.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Ready to fight or argue
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topArgumentative concerns verbal disagreement; combative can describe either debate or physical conflict.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See combative in use
His combative response turned a routine planning discussion into a lengthy dispute.
As the schedule discussion continued, one editor became combative, treating each suggestion as an invitation to argue.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license