dovish

American  

[duhv-ish] / ˈdʌv ɪʃ /

Also dovelike

adjective

1. (especially of a person in public office) advocating peace, compromise, or a conciliatory national attitude.

   Mr. Weizman made his name as one of Israel's most celebrated fighting men, yet he worked to transform himself into a dovish politician.

2. Economics. advocating low interest rates or other monetary policies aimed at reducing unemployment rather than inflation.

   With the jobless rate in double digits, the same dovish remarks can be expected from other Federal Reserve officials.

3. like or resembling a dove or any of the bird’s typical features or behaviors.

   The sofa fabric is a soft dovish gray.

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Other Word Forms

• dovishness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of dovish

dov(e) ¹ ( def. ) + -ish ¹

Compare meaning

How does dovish compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• dovish vs. hawkish

Explanation

Someone who's dovish favors political policies that promote peace, rather than conflict with other countries. A dovish president is more likely to sign peace treaties than to start a war. While dovish can mean simply "peaceful and innocent," it's much more common to find it in political writing or speech, particularly in contrast to hawkish. Dovish advisors and cabinet members can influence a government to strive for peaceful resolutions to conflict, while hawkish politicians tend to favor aggressive policies. This political meaning dates from the 1960s.

Example Sentences

Duy, it should be noted, doesn’t share the dovish Citrini take on the Fed.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 15, 2026

The recent string of payroll figures will complicate his ambitions, and the bond market’s reaction will likely test his dovish resolve.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

The shift is significant for an official who was one of the Fed’s most dovish voices for much of the past year.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

“What we don’t know is how much of this preference is meant as a counterweight to incoming Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s presumed dovish bias,” LeBas said.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

Johnson griped, “That military genius, McNamara, has gone dovish on me.”

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin