combative
/ˈkɒmbətɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /kəmˈbætɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /kəm-ˈba-tiv/ (ame, mw)
combative — adjective
- combativepositive
- more combativecomparative
- most combativesuperlative
1. describes someone who is always ready to argue or get into a physical fight, oft
describes someone who is always ready to argue or get into a physical fight, often showing open hostility in situations where others would stay calm
Diego's combative tone made the simple staff meeting feel like a courtroom battle.
collocation: combative tone
Amina grew combative whenever someone questioned her travel expenses.
pattern: grew + combative (become + adjective)
The combative journalist refused to back down during the live interview.
Kenji's combative stance on the new policy surprised his closest colleagues.
Even a minor parking dispute could make Fatima turn combative.
- aggressive
broader term that can also describe non-human forces (e.g. an aggressive tumour); combative specifically describes a person's disposition
- belligerent
more formal and stronger; often implies actual fighting or warlike behaviour, not just a readiness to argue
- confrontational
emphasises face-to-face challenge and directness; combative can describe a general temperament even when no one is present
- pugnacious
more literary and old-fashioned; suggests a natural, almost instinctive tendency to fight
- conciliatory
showing willingness to end a disagreement; the opposite disposition
- placid
calm and not easily angered or provoked
用法筆記
More often describes verbal aggression than physical fighting in everyday English. When the context clearly involves physical violence, it is usually stated explicitly (e.g. 'combative and threw the first punch').