ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Words›P›pugnacious
ISEE/SSAThard
pugnacious
eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight
Synonyms
- combative
- belligerent
- quarrelsome
Antonyms
- peaceable
- conciliatory
- amiable
pugnacious in a sentence
The pugnacious senator treated every question as a challenge.
His pugnacious remarks turned a calm debate into a bitter dispute.
Where it comes from
From Latin pugnax, meaning 'fond of fighting.'
Memory hook
PUGNACIOUS begins like 'pug': picture a small dog eager to pick a fight.
Read it in context
- The Marker on the Slope Narrative
Practice pugnacious in the app