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Pugnacious vs Petulant - What's the difference?

pugnacious | petulant | Related terms |

Pugnacious is a related term of petulant.


As adjectives the difference between pugnacious and petulant

is that pugnacious is naturally aggressive or hostile; combative; belligerent while petulant is exuberant, lively.

pugnacious

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Naturally aggressive or hostile; combative; belligerent.
  • * 1858 , (Anthony Trollope), Dr Thorne , ch. 3:
    • Not that the doctor was a bully, or even pugnacious , in the usual sense of the word; he had no disposition to provoke a fight, no propense love of quarrelling.
  • * 1904 , (Jack London), The Sea Wolf , ch. 15:
    • As he made the demand he spat out a mouthful of blood and teeth and shoved his pugnacious face close to Oofty-Oofty.
  • * 2003 , (Ken Follett), Hornet Flight , ISBN 9780451210746, pp. 249-250:
    • In the face of bad news Churchill normally became even more pugnacious , always wanting to respond to defeat by going on the attack.
  • * '>citation

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Related terms

    * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l) ((l))

    petulant

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • childishly irritable
    • Lack of sleep is causing Dave's recent petulant behavior.
  • (obsolete) forward; pert; insolent; wanton.
    • (Burton)

    Synonyms

    * huffy * snappish * irritable * grouchy * bad-tempered * ill-tempered * crabby

    Antonyms

    * easygoing