aggressive
Ready to fight
Aggressive describes behavior that is forceful, hostile, or ready to attack.
An aggressive dog may bite; an aggressive driver cuts people off.
The word extends to any pushy or assertive approach: aggressive marketing, aggressive treatment of a disease.
In sports and business, aggressive often carries positive connotations of boldness and competitive drive: She took an aggressive approach to expanding the company.
Hostile and eager to clash
- combativeInclined toward conflict
- antagonisticActively opposed or hostile
- confrontationalInclined toward hostile encounters
- bellicoseInclined toward aggression
pugnacious · quarrelsome · contentious · argumentative · hostile · ornery · mean · violent
Causing displeasure or attack-oriented
- strategyPlanned approach to goals
- hardlineStubbornly inflexible in stance
- strong-armCoerce through intimidation
- ruthlessLacking any compassion
blitz · full-court press · preemptive · proactive · bold · calculated · high-risk · hard-nosed
Intensely determined to achieve
- go-getterAmbitious, driven person
- determinedFirmly committed to purpose
- hungryWanting to eat
- motivatedSpurred to action
eager · competitive · relentless · goal-oriented · tenacious · pushy · cutthroat · ruthless
Exerting strong pressure
- boldCourageous and daring
- confidentSure of oneself
- directUndeviating or to guide
- decisiveQuick to conclude
emphatic · commanding · insistent · forthright · strong-willed · self-assured · outspoken · firm
Extending dominion over others
- colonialismDomination through foreign settlement
- territorialDefensive about owned space
- annexationAbsorbing territory into jurisdiction
- conquestDefeating and seizing control
empire · invasion · occupation · expansionism · land grab · encroachment · manifest destiny · hegemony
Exerting strong pressure
- vehementIntensely forceful in feeling
- vigorousHaving great physical energy
- powerfulHaving great strength
- relentlessContinuing without pause
high-octane · full-throttle · hard-hitting · dynamic · extreme · unrelenting · fierce · energetic
Violent offensive act
- attackAggressive act against another
- violenceHarmful physical force
- rageIntense, violent anger
- furyIntense violent anger
brutality · savagery · ferocity · hostility · physical · lashing out · outburst · explosive
Harmfully invasive, often fatal
- metastaticHaving spread from origin
- invasiveEncroaching without welcome
- cancerousHaving malignant tumors
- progressiveFavoring reform and innovation
terminal · virulent · lethal · recurrent · inoperable · advanced · stage four · prognosis
belligerent
Hostile and eager to clash
- combativeInclined toward conflict
- antagonisticActively opposed or hostile
- confrontationalInclined toward hostile encounters
bellicose · pugnacious · quarrelsome · contentious · argumentative · hostile · ornery · mean · violent · threatening
offensive
Causing displeasure or attack-oriented
- strategyPlanned approach to goals
- hardlineStubbornly inflexible in stance
- strong-armCoerce through intimidation
ruthless · blitz · full-court press · preemptive · proactive · bold · calculated · high-risk · hard-nosed · take-no-prisoners
driven
Intensely determined to achieve
- go-getterAmbitious, driven person
- determinedFirmly committed to purpose
- hungryWanting to eat
motivated · eager · competitive · relentless · goal-oriented · tenacious · pushy · cutthroat · ruthless · single-minded
forceful
Exerting strong pressure
decisive · emphatic · commanding · insistent · forthright · strong-willed · self-assured · outspoken · firm · pushy
imperialism
Extending dominion over others
- colonialismDomination through foreign settlement
- territorialDefensive about owned space
- annexationAbsorbing territory into jurisdiction
conquest · empire · invasion · occupation · expansionism · land grab · encroachment · manifest destiny · hegemony · domination
forceful
Exerting strong pressure
- vehementIntensely forceful in feeling
- vigorousHaving great physical energy
- powerfulHaving great strength
relentless · high-octane · full-throttle · hard-hitting · dynamic · extreme · unrelenting · fierce · energetic · all-out
assault
Violent offensive act
fury · brutality · savagery · ferocity · hostility · physical · lashing out · outburst · explosive · volatile
malignant
Harmfully invasive, often fatal
- metastaticHaving spread from origin
- invasiveEncroaching without welcome
- cancerousHaving malignant tumors
progressive · terminal · virulent · lethal · recurrent · inoperable · advanced · stage four · prognosis · tumor
- behaviorshabit, agitation, conduct, passive, sneezing
- hostile attitudeshostile, combative, belligerent, adversarial, confrontational
- menacingthreatening, intimidating, menacing, ominous, sinister
- speaking stylesarticulate, blunt, candid, conversational, casual
- confrontation stylepassive, assertive, avoidant, diplomatic, hostile
- fiercebrutal, violent, savage, ferocious, fierce
aggressivepassive
Not actively participating
submissive · meek · timid · unassertive · yielding
aggressivepeaceful
Free from disturbance
peaceable · friendly · nonaggressive · nonviolent · gentle
aggressivepassive
Not actively participating
unambitious · complacent · ambitionless · unenterprising · lackadaisical
- passive aggressiveIndirectly expressing resentment
- aggressive driverHostile motorist on highways
- aggressive behaviorHostile or threatening conduct
- non-aggression pactAgreement to avoid conflict
- aggressive treatmentForceful medical intervention
- aggressive marketingForceful promotional methods
aggression, aggressively, aggressiveness, unaggressive, nonaggression, aggressions, nonaggressive, overaggressive, microaggression