aggressive

[ uh-gres-iv ]
See synonyms for: aggressiveaggressiveness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. characterized by or tending toward unprovoked offensives, attacks, invasions, or the like; militantly forward or menacing: aggressive acts against a neighboring country.

  2. making an all-out effort to win or succeed; competitive: an aggressive basketball player.

  1. vigorously energetic, especially in the use of initiative and forcefulness: an aggressive salesperson.

  2. boldly assertive and forward; pushy: an aggressive driver.

  3. emphasizing maximum growth and capital gains over quality, security, and income: an aggressive mutual fund.

  4. Medicine/Medical.

    • (of a disease or tumor) growing or spreading rapidly; highly invasive; difficult or impossible to treat successfully: aggressive brain lesions.

    • pertaining to a risky surgery or treatment, or to a medication that has grave side effects: aggressive chemotherapy.

  5. (of a plant) spreading more rapidly than is desirable; tending to spread where not wanted: The joe-pye weed may be too aggressive to contain in the small area you’ve designated.

Origin of aggressive

1
First recorded in 1690–1700; from Late Latin aggressīvus, derivative of Latin aggressus, past participle of aggredī “to go to, approach, attack”

Other words for aggressive

Opposites for aggressive

Other words from aggressive

  • ag·gres·sive·ly, adverb
  • ag·gres·sive·ness, ag·gres·siv·i·ty [ag-re-siv-i-tee], /ˌæg rɛˈsɪv ɪ ti/, noun
  • an·ti·ag·gres·sive, adjective
  • hy·per·ag·gres·sive, adjective
  • o·ver·ag·gres·sive, adjective
  • o·ver·ag·gres·sive·ness, noun
  • su·per·ag·gres·sive, adjective
  • un·ag·gres·sive, adjective
  • un·ag·gres·sive·ness, noun

Words Nearby aggressive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use aggressive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for aggressive

aggressive

/ (əˈɡrɛsɪv) /


adjective
  1. quarrelsome or belligerent: an aggressive remark

  2. assertive; vigorous: an aggressive business executive

Derived forms of aggressive

  • aggressively, adverb
  • aggressiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012