hawkishness

IPA/hˈɔːkɪʃnəs/
IPA/hˈɔːkɪʃnəs/

hawkishness — noun

1. A strong tendency to support military action, aggressive measures, or confrontat

1.nounC1
Definition

A strong tendency to support military action, aggressive measures, or confrontational policies in political disputes rather than negotiation or compromise.

Example

Senator Okonkwo's hawkishness on defence spending surprised even his own party members.

collocation: hawkishness on [topic]

Yael argued that the minister's hawkishness would damage relations with neighbouring countries.

Common collocations
  • hawkishness on + issue
  • unchecked hawkishness
  • growing hawkishness
  • hawkishness about
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • dovishness

    direct opposite — preference for peace and negotiation

  • pacifism

    stronger — opposition to all war

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person in a position of political or military authority, or a collective body (government, cabinet, administration). Often followed by 'on' plus a policy area (defence, trade, foreign policy).

Common Mistakes

His hawkishness means he is a cruel person.
His hawkishness on defence means he supports higher military spending.
Hawkishness describes a political stance, not general cruelty.

2. The quality of having facial features or a physical shape that resembles a hawk,

2.nounC1
Definition

The quality of having facial features or a physical shape that resembles a hawk, especially a curved, beak-like nose or a sharp profile.

Example

The old man's hawkishness was striking, with a long curved nose and narrow eyes.

collocation: hawkishness + striking

Art critics commented on the hawkishness of the bronze eagle's silhouette in the gallery.

Common collocations
  • hawkishness of + body part
  • distinct hawkishness
  • striking hawkishness
Synonyms

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Hawkishness is a political term specifically about foreign policy and defence — it describes a preference for military strength and decisive action over diplomacy. Bellicosity is more formal and implies a personal eagerness to fight, not necessarily rooted in policy. Militancy is broader; it can describe activist groups, union members, or ideological crusaders, not just governments. Aggressiveness is the most general and can apply to sports, business, or daily behaviour, giving it a much wider scope. Belligerence focuses on hostile, combative language and behaviour rather than a coherent policy stance. For example: 'The senator's hawkishness on trade tariffs worried farmers, while his personal belligerence at the hearing alienated colleagues.'

hawkishness ↗bellicosity ↗militancyaggressiveness ↗belligerence ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a reputation for hawkishness
  • an air of hawkishness

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglishAmerican English

Hawkishness is formed from the adjective 'hawkish' (meaning resembling a hawk or favouring military action) plus the noun suffix '-ness', which turns adjectives into nouns meaning 'the state or quality of'. The political sense of 'hawk' for a war advocate became common in the 1960s during the Vietnam War, contrasting with 'dove' for a peace advocate. The word therefore traces back through Old English 'hafoc' for the bird of prey, but its modern political sense is a 20th-century American innovation.

First known use

1747

1747, in the meaning defined at sense 1