aggressive
aggressive Lexical Profile
aggressive Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Ready or likely to confront, attack, or quarrel; characterized by hostile or combative behavior.
"The stray dog became aggressive whenever anyone approached its food bowl."
Pursuing one's aims and interests forcefully, boldly, and with energetic determination, sometimes to the point of being pushy.
"The startup launched an aggressive marketing campaign to capture market share from established competitors."
(Of a disease, tumor, or medical treatment) growing or spreading rapidly and invasively, or involving intensive and potent therapeutic measures.
"Because the infection was spreading quickly, the physicians decided on an aggressive course of antibiotics."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Aggressive' implies hostility or forceful intrusion, whereas 'assertive' describes confident, respectful self-expression; however, in business or medical contexts, 'aggressive' often has a positive or neutral sense meaning vigorous and determined (e.g., an 'aggressive marketing campaign' or 'aggressive treatment').
• Rhymes for aggressive
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 18th century from French 'agressif' or directly from Latin 'aggress-', the past participle stem of 'aggredi' ('to approach, attack'), formed from 'ad-' ('toward') and 'gradi' ('to step, walk').