argumentative
adjective
ar·gu·men·ta·tive ˌär-gyə-ˈmen-tə-tiv 
variants or less commonly argumentive
ˌär-gyə-ˈmen-tiv
1
: given to argument : tending to argue : having or showing a tendency to disagree or argue with other people in an angry way : disputatious
He became argumentative when confronted with the allegation.
an argumentative temperament
… had been a pigheaded, argumentative, irascible, and unlikable man …
Colleen McCullough
Colleen McCullough2
: consisting of or characterized by argument
argumentative discourse
aired their opinions in an argumentative way
argumentatively adverb
Synonyms
- contentious
- controversial
- disputatious
- polemical
- polemic
- quarrelsome
- scrappy
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He became more argumentative during the debate. he's too argumentative to be part of a project in which teamwork is critical
Recent Examples on the Web Last week, Jordan’s teacher, Emily Doss, reviewed what her 27 students had learned earlier in the year about opinion and argumentative writing. Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2022 Nancy King described their childhood home as a joyfully argumentative place where everyone sparred over dinner, testing their ideas in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Emily Nussbaum, The New Yorker, 13 June 2022 Supporting Rieger are a striking ensemble of young performers who make multi-dimensional the life and work of the kibbutz’s passionate and argumentative denizens and the ragtag platoon of soldiers who arrive to protect the farm. Alissa Simon, Variety, 15 July 2022 That sentence was quoted by one of my freshmen, who wrote his argumentative essay in favor of reforming the political classes. Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, 9 May 2022 In the case of Abdullah and Burgess, Police Commissioner Michael Harrison initially said Abdullah spit at Simpson and became argumentative, causing an altercation outside a convenience store on Pennsylvania Avenue. Lea Skene, Baltimore Sun, 15 June 2022 As police spoke with the three, the man who had been unclothed became argumentative with officers and refused to provide identification. cleveland, 17 June 2022 Simpson previously claimed Abdullah initiated the interaction by becoming argumentative and spitting on him. Lea Skene, Baltimore Sun, 15 June 2022 At the police station, the driver became argumentative and said he had been arrested for OVI in North Royalton a couple months prior and had beaten the case. John Benson, cleveland, 5 Apr. 2022 See More
Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2022 Nancy King described their childhood home as a joyfully argumentative place where everyone sparred over dinner, testing their ideas in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Emily Nussbaum, The New Yorker, 13 June 2022 Supporting Rieger are a striking ensemble of young performers who make multi-dimensional the life and work of the kibbutz’s passionate and argumentative denizens and the ragtag platoon of soldiers who arrive to protect the farm. Alissa Simon, Variety, 15 July 2022 That sentence was quoted by one of my freshmen, who wrote his argumentative essay in favor of reforming the political classes. Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, 9 May 2022 In the case of Abdullah and Burgess, Police Commissioner Michael Harrison initially said Abdullah spit at Simpson and became argumentative, causing an altercation outside a convenience store on Pennsylvania Avenue. Lea Skene, Baltimore Sun, 15 June 2022 As police spoke with the three, the man who had been unclothed became argumentative with officers and refused to provide identification. cleveland, 17 June 2022 Simpson previously claimed Abdullah initiated the interaction by becoming argumentative and spitting on him. Lea Skene, Baltimore Sun, 15 June 2022 At the police station, the driver became argumentative and said he had been arrested for OVI in North Royalton a couple months prior and had beaten the case. John Benson, cleveland, 5 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
see argue
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
argumentative
adjective
1
as in contentious
given to arguing he's too argumentative to be part of a project in which teamwork is critical Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- contentious
- controversial
- aggressive
- polemic
- polemical
- stubborn
- quarrelsome
- irritable
- disputatious
- militant
- combative
- scrappy
- belligerent
- unreasonable
- pugnacious
- fighting
- rude
- bellicose
- truculent
- willful
- warlike
- ornery
- feisty
- surly
- resistant
- testy
- contrary
- peevish
- uncooperative
- disagreeable
- fractious
- obstinate
- captious
- cantankerous
- pigheaded
- snappish
- disobedient
- querulous
- petulant
- mulish
- insubordinate
- irascible
- intractable
- grouchy
- fretful
- splenetic
- acidic
- gladiatorial
- wayward
- grumpy
- recalcitrant
- battling
- obdurate
- refractory
- warring
- cross
- headstrong
- huffy
- uncompromising
- crabby
- unbending
- hardheaded
- bilious
- touchy
- restive
- choleric
- waspish
- balky
- perverse
- dyspeptic
- cranky
- unyielding
- ill-tempered
- froward
- pettish
- ill-humored
- ill-natured
- wilful
- self-opinionated
- bearish
- self-willed
- snappy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- amiable
- friendly
- pleasant
- conciliatory
- cordial
- benevolent
- cooperative
- easygoing
- sociable
- affable
- amicable
- gracious
- ingratiating
- genial
- complaisant
- agreeable
- amenable
- good-natured
- acquiescent
- complying
- good-tempered
- compliant
- docile
- obedient
- tractable
- submissive
- obliging
- peaceable
- peaceful
- pacific
2
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight an argumentative gang of bullies always looking for a fight Synonyms & Similar Words
- aggressive
- militant
- contentious
- combative
- hostile
- confrontational
- irritable
- belligerent
- assaultive
- pugnacious
- quarrelsome
- bellicose
- disputatious
- truculent
- feisty
- warlike
- agonistic
- ugly
- acidic
- fierce
- rude
- antagonistic
- scrappy
- vicious
- chippy
- savage
- brawly
- discordant
- gladiatorial
- fighting
- testy
- peevish
- ornery
- snappish
- querulous
- petulant
- irascible
- disagreeable
- grouchy
- fretful
- surly
- grumpy
- cross
- on the warpath
- huffy
- warring
- crabby
- bilious
- touchy
- choleric
- waspish
- stroppy
- pettish
- fractious
- hot-tempered
- dyspeptic
- cranky
- ill-tempered
- battling
- bristly
- ill-humored
- ill-natured
- prickly
- bearish
- snappy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nonaggressive
- peaceable
- peaceful
- conciliatory
- amiable
- pacific
- friendly
- uncontentious
- pleasant
- complaisant
- cordial
- benevolent
- easygoing
- sociable
- affable
- amicable
- antimilitarist
- unwarlike
- gracious
- nonbelligerent
- ingratiating
- genial
- uncombative
- kindhearted
- calm
- obliging
- quiet
- mild
- gentle
- good-natured
- serene
- unbelligerent
- relaxed
- anti-imperialist
- tranquil
- benign
- good-tempered
- kindly
3
as in controversial
relating to or causing the expression of opposing opinions a topic that sparked more than a few argumentative conversations around the watercooler Synonyms & Similar Words
- contentious
- controversial
- polemical
- disputatious
- polemic
- difficult
- tough
- problematic
- touchy
- hot-button
- thorny
- problematical
- knotty
- ticklish
- spiny
- delicate
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- indisputable
- incontrovertible
- safe
- unquestionable
- irrefutable
- incontestable
- undeniable
- noncontroversial
- uncontroversial
- indubitable
- undisputed
- uncontested
- hyperexcitement
- hyperexcitements
- hyperexcretion
- hyperexcretions
- hyperextend
- hyperextended
- hyperextending
- hyperextends
- hyperextension
- hyperextensions
- hyperfastidious
- hyperfeminine
- hyperfemininity
- hyperfine
- hyperfiner
- hyperfinest
- hyperfocal distance
- hyperform
- hyperfunction
- hyperfunctional
- hyperfunctioning
- hyperfunctions
- hypergamies
- hypergamous
- hypergamy