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  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of aggression

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

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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

Meanwhile, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said a 2022 law bans Russian energy imports until Russia ends its aggression against Ukraine and stops threatening U.S. allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

Their analysis showed that species with high levels of mild aggression were not necessarily more likely to kill competitors.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026

But he has gone too far on court on many occasions, with much of his aggression directed at umpires.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

It evidently did the trick given the way the tempo and aggression returned.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

Europe’s invaded countries set up governments in exile in London, the capital of the United Kingdom, to make war plans as a group of “Allied” nations fighting together against German aggression.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Vietnam is expected to make similar use of its new outposts, albeit without directing aggressions against other countries, says Harrison Prétat, deputy director of CSIS’s Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025

After a lackluster two quarters, the Jaguars got their aggressions out in the second half against New England.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2024

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

From Science Daily ● Apr. 12, 2024

In South Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve about 18-21 months in the military under a conscription system established to maintain readiness against potential aggressions from rival North Korea.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 5, 2023

Urquiza and the other provincial governors showed no disposition to attack the central authority, and in turn the latter was careful to avoid useless aggressions against them.

From The South American Republics Part I of II by Thomas C. Dawson

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Related Words

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

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