aggression

American  

[uh-gresh-uhn] / əˈgrɛʃ ən /

noun

• aggressions
  plural

1. the action of a state in violating by force the rights of another state, particularly its territorial rights; an unprovoked offensive, attack, invasion, or the like.

   The army is prepared to stop any foreign aggression.

   Antonyms:

   peacefulness

2. any offensive action, attack, or procedure; an inroad or encroachment.

   an aggression upon one's rights.

3. the practice of making assaults or attacks; offensive action in general.

4. Psychiatry. overt or suppressed hostility, either innate or resulting from continued frustration and directed outward or against oneself.

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aggression British  

/ əˈɡrɛsə, əˈɡrɛʃən /

noun

1. an attack or harmful action, esp an unprovoked attack by one country against another

2. any offensive activity, practice, etc

   an aggression against personal liberty

3. psychol a hostile or destructive mental attitude or behaviour

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aggression Scientific  

/ ə-grĕsh′ən /

1. Behavior that is meant to intimidate or injure an animal of the same species or of a competing species but is not predatory. Aggression may be displayed during mating rituals or to defend territory, as by the erection of fins by fish and feathers by birds.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• aggressor
  noun
• counteraggression
  noun
• preaggression
  noun
• antiaggression
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• aggressions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of aggression

1605–15; < Latin aggressiōn- (stem of aggressiō ), equivalent to aggress ( us ) ( see aggress) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Aggression is hostile, purposely unfriendly behavior that can sometimes be violent. A motorist who shows aggression for another may follow too closely, honk the horn, or otherwise try to intimidate. When someone deliberately tries to make another person feel intimidated or threatened, it's an act of aggression. Forceful, unfriendly behavior towards others is one example of aggression, and one country's hostile action toward another is also a kind of aggression. It's been used since the 1600s to mean "an unprovoked attack," from the Latin root word aggressionem, "attack," and in 1912 aggression was first used to mean generally "hostile behavior."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

aggression aggressions

"Because of the aggression against my country, our presence here is certainly very different from previous years," Kameli said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026

One of the most surprising findings was that chimpanzees, despite their reputation for aggression, engaged in close contact, including placing fingers in one another's mouths.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Along with questioning social and sexual taboos, feminism and acts of aggression, Ono also confronts her own issues with ego from a Buddhist perspective, just as Cage had.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

The TV variation of Max Cady is where the classic prestige drama Difficult Man shakes hands with a manosphere cultist’s pent-up aggression.

From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026

If a child shows severe aggression, obviously this can’t be ignored.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

In foreign policy, Podhoretz counseled that an unapologetic defense of American interests abroad is likeliest to frustrate the aggressions of bad actors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025

Such aggressions forced Pomos to disperse far from the lake, including to the North Bay.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2024

Overall, bonobos engaged in 2.8 times more aggressive interactions and 3 times as many physical aggressions.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 12, 2024

President Biden is rolling out the red carpet to Mr. Modi, as India plays a key role in deterring China’s aggressions in the Indo-Pacific and has a major role in the global economy.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 22, 2023

Coercion is legitimate to the extent of compelling restitution, and preventing a repetition of aggressions; no further.

From A Review of the Systems of Ethics Founded on the Theory of Evolution by Williams, C. M.

Related Words

• assault
• encroachment
• invasion
• offensive
• onslaught
• raid