pugilistic
Americanadjective
-
relating to or involving fighting with the fists, especially professional boxing.
The movie Rocky is a triumphant, rags-to-riches tale of pugilistic glory.
-
inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent.
She was fired for being a pugilistic, wine-tossing diva who fought with nearly everyone.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pugilistic
Explanation
If you're pugilistic, you're a boxer — or you just like to fight. When you're heading to watch a boxing match, you could say you're going to see a pugilistic event (and you'll sound really smart). A professional boxer can be described as pugilistic, but a middle school kid who's always getting in fist fights is also pugilistic. Another word for a boxer or a fighter is a pugilist, which comes from the Latin pugil, "boxer or fist fighter." This root is also related to the word pugnus, "fist," and pugnacious, "combative or fond of fighting."
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.
And Bennett thinks the heightened stakes and occasion will mean a less pugilistic occasion.
From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2026
Wine buyer Joe Salamone of Crush Wine & Spirits in New York takes a far less pugilistic position: “Sometimes it’s better just to hand Veuve to customers.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025
In time, the prince stepped back from his more pugilistic policies, while geopolitics, energy concerns and a turbulent Middle East forced Biden to moderate his rejectionist stance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2025
They were elected officials and think-tank staffers and pugilistic power users on Twitter.
From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2025
The day after his pugilistic rage, he sat in his chair and didn’t move or say a word all day.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
