as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
not a reasoned discussion but a shouting match between gladiatorial pundits from opposite ends of the political spectrum
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Recent Examples of gladiatorial
Many people have noted the similarities to ancient gladiatorial contests.
—
Cullen Murphy,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Some critics view gladiatorial displays of violence as inappropriate for a historic anniversary and complain that the spectacle hits a discordant note amid war in Iran and rising prices.
—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
That fits with the vaguely gladiatorial sensation of singles when two competitors face off across a net, locked in intense battle that becomes as much a test of will as skill.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
Hansen and his Dateline NBC crew made gladiatorial reality TV disguised as public service.
—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Fighting those of a comparable or higher status brought greater prizes, advancement in the rankings, and more glory, perhaps even discharge from the gladiatorial school.
—
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
One of the city’s star attractions is the huge 25,000-seat Great Theater, used for theatrical performances, public assemblies, religious ceremonies and, in the Roman era, gladiatorial battles.
—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
In America's gladiatorial two-party system, that could well deprive Republicans of a winning political issue with which to batter out-of-touch, climate change-besotted Democrats.
—
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Dec. 2025
Speaking a few days before his eagerly awaited womenswear debut for Dior, Anderson described the feeling of stepping into a gladiatorial arena.
—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
3 Nov. 2025
Cullen Murphy,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Some critics view gladiatorial displays of violence as inappropriate for a historic anniversary and complain that the spectacle hits a discordant note amid war in Iran and rising prices.
—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
That fits with the vaguely gladiatorial sensation of singles when two competitors face off across a net, locked in intense battle that becomes as much a test of will as skill.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
Hansen and his Dateline NBC crew made gladiatorial reality TV disguised as public service.
—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Fighting those of a comparable or higher status brought greater prizes, advancement in the rankings, and more glory, perhaps even discharge from the gladiatorial school.
—
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
One of the city’s star attractions is the huge 25,000-seat Great Theater, used for theatrical performances, public assemblies, religious ceremonies and, in the Roman era, gladiatorial battles.
—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
In America's gladiatorial two-party system, that could well deprive Republicans of a winning political issue with which to batter out-of-touch, climate change-besotted Democrats.
—
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Dec. 2025
Speaking a few days before his eagerly awaited womenswear debut for Dior, Anderson described the feeling of stepping into a gladiatorial arena.
—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gladiatorial
Adjective
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The goal is gentle smoke and indirect heat rather than aggressive flames.
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Right now, the multi-trillion-dollar global apparel industry is undergoing an aggressive technological shift, adopting artificial intelligence as a production standard rather than an experimental pilot.
Adjective
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Fiber-optic, first-person view (FPV) drones have become a key weapon in the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah’s war against Israel in recent months – bypassing Israel’s sophisticated defense systems by duplicating an asymmetric warfare tactic that first emerged in the Russia-Ukraine war.
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Children of the 1960s may recall that even within the militant activist group, Students for Democratic Society (SDS), animus was frequently directed not at the establishment but at fellow antiwar advocates.
Adjective
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This is not so different from the Founders’ vision of democracy, in which a federal system with independent, coequal branches of government forces collisions of competing interests that can get contentious, even chaotic, before compromises are forged.
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But with the Turnberry Agreement finally finding its footing, a reopening of wounds and a reignition of a contentious trade battle has likely held little appeal for the EU.
Adjective
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And until a Black commentator is held responsible for making openly hostile remarks about White people, nothing will change.
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For example, in March, the crypto exchange Kraken put its multibillion‑dollar IPO on hold amid hostile market conditions, according to CoinDesk.
Adjective
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Figure 1 Dominance hierarchy, agonistic behaviour, and physiological correlates in male captive kea at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.
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Ong used the word agonistic; oral cultures are competitive.
Adjective
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The poem that precedes it, the Iliad, is a cruel and beautiful work, the ultimate story of war; the Odyssey has its warlike passages, but its central energies seem almost commonplace beside the merciless fury of Achilles.
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One of the world’s most cooperative mammals is also one of its most warlike.
Adjective
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The release says a 29-year-old man became combative with first responders, and a paramedic shot him.
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Too good to be a benchwarmer, in a starting line-up, the Brazilian’s all-action qualities may align best with Rice to give Arsenal another combative and forward-thinking option in their engine room.
Cite this Entry
“Gladiatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gladiatorial. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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