assaultive

American  

[uh-sawl-tiv] / əˈsɔl tɪv /

adjective

1. tending or seeming to assault; physically aggressive.

   the assaultive behavior of the inmates; the assaultive manner of some rock bands.

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Other Word Forms

• assaultively
  adverb
• assaultiveness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of assaultive

First recorded in 1950–55; assault + -ive

Example Sentences

Locked away in prison, Amanda has little sense of the assaultive coverage’s prevalence and scope.

From Salon • Aug. 20, 2025

“Most importantly, there are already laws on the books to address assaultive conduct.”

From Seattle Times • Apr. 11, 2024

The ambient soundscape, by the cellist and composer Mizu, is industrial, too, with assaultive waves of rumbling, buzzing, hissing and screeching.

From New York Times • Mar. 29, 2024

“I didn’t question it because I didn’t hear of any stories of him being physically assaultive with anybody,” said the social worker, who did not reveal any identifying information about the boy.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2023

For a movie critic in this age of assaultive newness, the past becomes a luxury, a place to be visited furtively in between barrages of fresh content.

From Slate • May 5, 2019