hawkish
Americanadjective
-
resembling a hawk, as in appearance or behavior.
-
advocating war or a belligerently threatening diplomatic policy.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hawkish
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Explanation
Someone who's hawkish is in favor of going to war with other countries. The president's hawkish advisors will frequently recommend military solutions to conflicts. In politics, the adjective hawkish is useful for describing people, groups, or political parties that consistently prefer the war option for reacting to problems around the world. A hawkish politician, also called a hawk or war hawk, might vote in favor of continuing a military operation instead of ending it, for example. This word dates from the 1960s.
Vocabulary lists containing hawkish
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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.
Attention has shifted to U.S. inflation data due this week, where a softer-than-expected figure “would soothe hawkish Fed expectations and keep the market mood in a sweet spot,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
South Korea's dovish President Lee Jae Myung has reversed the stance of his hawkish predecessor since taking power in June 2025, offering Pyongyang talks without preconditions.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
But von Ahlen believes that scenario is too hawkish.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Previous chairs could persuade a colleague against dissenting with a tweak to the statement—a hawkish phrase here, a dovish nod there—or by implying that action was likelier at a later meeting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Blond hair and brown eyes, a hawkish nose.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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.
