argumentative

[ahr-gyuh-men-tuh-tiv]

See more synonyms for argumentative on Thesaurus.com

adjective

fond of or given to argument and dispute; disputatious; contentious: The law students were an unusually argumentative group.
of or characterized by argument; controversial: an argumentative attitude toward political issues.
Law. arguing or containing arguments suggesting that a certain fact tends toward a certain conclusion.

Origin of argumentative

First recorded in 1635–45; argument + -ative

Related formsar·gu·men·ta·tive·ly, adverbar·gu·men·ta·tive·ness, nounnon·ar·gu·men·ta·tive, adjectivenon·ar·gu·men·ta·tive·ly, adverbnon·ar·gu·men·ta·tive·ness, nouno·ver·ar·gu·men·ta·tive, adjectiveo·ver·ar·gu·men·ta·tive·ly, adverbo·ver·ar·gu·men·ta·tive·ness, nounun·ar·gu·men·ta·tive, adjectiveun·ar·gu·men·ta·tive·ly, adverbun·ar·gu·men·ta·tive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for argumentative

Contemporary Examples

A “why” question, always dangerous for various reasons, is particularly objectionable when argumentative.
Pistorius’s Cross-Examination Could Have Been Grounds for a Mistrial in a U.S. Court
James D. Zirin
May 5, 2014
“Debate is competitive argumentation so debaters tend to be competitive and argumentative,” Lubetsky said.
Ted Cruz at Princeton: Creepy, Sometimes Well Liked, and Exactly the Same
Patricia Murphy
August 19, 2013
This deeply engaged, argumentative monologue is an exercise in reaching, again and again beyond the limits of unbelieving.
This Week’s Hot Reads: April 1, 2013
Mythili Rao, Jimmy So
April 1, 2013
And being too argumentative can cost you part of your social circle.
Unfriending Over Politics
Howard Kurtz
March 12, 2012
Some have speculated the argumentative Hampton could be a new addition to the Atlanta Housewives cast.
Phaedra Parks: The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Scene Stealer
Geoff Berkshire
March 6, 2012

Historical Examples

"That's not the case," he observed with argumentative calmness.
The Market-Place
Harold Frederic
Uncle Remus seemed to boil over with argumentative indignation.
Nights With Uncle Remus
Joel Chandler Harris
Voices from forward came to him, muffled, but angry and argumentative.
The Wreck of the Titan
Morgan Robertson
“I think your fear is all an empty affair,” he said, in an argumentative tone.
That Girl Montana
Marah Ellis Ryan
But he was an old bird, and not to be caught in an argumentative cage.
Long Live the King
Mary Roberts Rinehart

British Dictionary definitions for argumentative

argumentative

adjective

given to arguing; contentious
characterized by argument; controversial

Derived Formsargumentatively, adverbargumentativeness, 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

Word Origin and History for argumentative

adj.

mid-15c., "pertaining to arguments," from Old French argumentatif or directly from Latin argumentat-, past participle stem of argumentari (see argue) + -ive. Meaning "fond of arguing" is recorded from 1660s. Related: Argumentatively; argumentativeness.

argumentative

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}argumentative

Examples from the Web for argumentative

Contemporary Examples

A “why” question, always dangerous for various reasons, is particularly objectionable when argumentative.

“Debate is competitive argumentation so debaters tend to be competitive and argumentative,” Lubetsky said.

This deeply engaged, argumentative monologue is an exercise in reaching, again and again beyond the limits of unbelieving.

And being too argumentative can cost you part of your social circle.

Some have speculated the argumentative Hampton could be a new addition to the Atlanta Housewives cast.

Historical Examples

"That's not the case," he observed with argumentative calmness.

Uncle Remus seemed to boil over with argumentative indignation.

Voices from forward came to him, muffled, but angry and argumentative.

“I think your fear is all an empty affair,” he said, in an argumentative tone.

But he was an old bird, and not to be caught in an argumentative cage.

argumentative

Word Origin and History for argumentative

adj.

Origin of argumentative