aggressive
Americanadjective
-
characterized by or tending toward unprovoked offensives, attacks, invasions, or the like; militantly forward or menacing.
aggressive acts against a neighboring country.
- Synonyms:
- militant, pugnacious
- Antonyms:
- friendly
-
making an all-out effort to win or succeed; competitive.
an aggressive basketball player.
- Synonyms:
- assertive, enterprising, forceful
-
vigorously energetic, especially in the use of initiative and forcefulness.
an aggressive salesperson.
-
boldly assertive and forward; pushy.
an aggressive driver.
-
emphasizing maximum growth and capital gains over quality, security, and income.
an aggressive mutual fund.
-
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.
-
-
(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.
adjective
-
quarrelsome or belligerent
an aggressive remark
-
assertive; vigorous
an aggressive business executive
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of aggressive
First recorded in 1690–1700; from Late Latin aggressīvus, derivative of Latin aggressus, past participle of aggredī “to go to, approach, attack”
Explanation
Someone or something aggressive shows a lot of energy and has a strong impact. After the aggressive salesman stopped them again on their way through the mall, the couple got aggressive and replied in a loud, made-up foreign language until he went away. Being aggressive often means being physical or showing force, but it is equally powerful as an adjective reflecting a forceful determination to get something done. An aggressive football player may tackle everyone in sight to get a win, while a driven student might tackle a project or problem head-on with aggressive determination to improve their grade. Aggressive comes from the Latin aggress-, "attack," and being aggressive shows an intention to attack bodily, mentally, or verbally whatever gets in the way.
Vocabulary lists containing aggressive
The Hate U Give
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In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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Negative Words to Describe a Person
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
An aggressive conversion strategy probably isn’t justified given your wealth and income, but a multi-year Roth-conversion strategy deserves at least some consideration.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
The aggressive Plaskett fire overtook the Timber fire in size, and together they have blackened more than 50,000 acres.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
A yen recovery will require an aggressive hiking cycle, but the central bank is unlikely to jeopardize growth in such a manner, he says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
The detention marks an ironic turn for Yiannopoulos, who has publicly advocated for the same aggressive immigration enforcement that now threatens to remove him from the country.
From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2026
Each match began simply enough, with a ritualistic strutting around the circle, the two combatants physically taunting each other in a sort of aggressive dance.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
