1
as in controversial
given to arguing
he's too argumentative to be part of a project in which teamwork is critical
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
an argumentative gang of bullies always looking for a fight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in contentious
relating to or causing the expression of opposing opinions
a topic that sparked more than a few argumentative conversations around the watercooler
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of argumentative
Sometimes, defiant and argumentative behavior results when a child attempts to assert control.
—
Amy Morin, Parents, 24 July 2024
John Gottman and his wife Julie Schwartz Gottman have seen their fair share of argumentative blunders in their decades of research on couples.
—Allie Volpe, Vox, 12 May 2024
After 11 argumentative public hearings and much political grandstanding, the Common Council approved the artwork, which was dedicated in April 1982.
—Journal Sentinel, 23 May 2024
While there’s an occasional corny line here, Hanna and Sander wisely keep dialogue on the humorous and/or argumentative side — after all, these are figures who’ve learned the hard way not to admit emotional vulnerability.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for argumentative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for argumentative
Adjective
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The appearance, and his latest announcement, appear to clear the way for the controversial deal at a time that long-time allies Japan and the United States find themselves in the middle of a trade war.—
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That result is not at all controversial to economists, who assume that most of the cost of tariffs is passed on to the consumer.—
Adjective
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Addressing the Obvious Critiques Yes, 3–4% real growth is aggressive.—
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After the aggressive animal showed no signs of leaving, the woman’s boyfriend fatally shot it, officials said.—
Adjective
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In that same post, Swift highlighted her contentious history with Braun, largely via his work with her longtime foe, Kanye West.—
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This public WiFi hijacking threat is almost as contentious as juice-jacking amongst cyber experts.—
Adjective
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In response to the vote, Iraqi troops retook vast swathes of territory seized by Kurdish forces during their joint fight against the Islamic State militant group (ISIS).—
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The ceasefire plan, which has been approved by Israeli officials, won a cool initial reaction Thursday from the militant group, but President Donald Trump said Friday that negotiators were nearing a deal.—
Adjective
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Hernández’s humor has never been political or polemical.—
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For too long, Democratic leaders have pulled their polemical punches, seemingly afraid of losing someone’s vote somewhere or offending the Beltway ideal of staying safely within the cocoon of Reagan-O’Neill bipartisanship.—
Adjective
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Some of countries in the continent that are rich in uranium, such as Niger and Gabon, may be delicate or difficult to deal with in the near term as both underwent military coups recently, with Niger turning hostile toward the French and more toward the Russians.—
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The game is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET and Pacers fans are sure to bring the energy and create a hostile atmosphere for New York.—
Adjective
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Still, the stubborn media silence continued unabated.—
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United needed to play perfect football to unlock a stubborn defence, but struggled to push past competency.—
Adjective
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Cass fulfills his obligations in a particularly irritable way.—
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One person’s fatigue is another’s back pain, is another’s migraine or irritable bowel, or long Covid, and so on.—
Cite this Entry
“Argumentative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/argumentative. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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