aggression
noun
ag·gres·sion
ə-ˈgre-shən 
1
: a forceful action or procedure (such as an unprovoked attack) especially when intended to dominate or master
2
: the practice of making attacks or encroachments
especially
: unprovoked violation by one country of the territorial integrity of another
warned that any act of aggression could start a war
3
: hostile, injurious, or destructive behavior or outlook especially when caused by frustration
Aggression is often the expression of pent-up rage.
Synonyms
Examples of aggression in a Sentence
He has a lot of pent-up aggression.
behavior that is likely to provoke aggression
dangerous dogs showing aggression toward people
The government says that it will view any attempt to fly over its territory as an act of aggression.
Recent Examples on the Web
Even if the axis members do not coordinate their aggression directly, concurrent conflicts could overwhelm the West.
—
Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Known as Project Nimbus, the deal to provide AI and cloud services to Israel has become increasingly polarizing as its aggression in Gaza has escalated to what one UN expert denounced as genocide.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2024
Passing more security assistance for any one of these countries on the frontlines of authoritarian aggression should be a slam dunk.
—The Editors, National Review, 17 Apr. 2024
Riyadh seeks greater security cooperation with the United States to ward off similar aggression in the future — an arrangement that the U.S. has indicated would likely be made only if Riyadh also formally recognized and worked with Israel.
—Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024
An act of aggression is implied: someone is exercising power by projecting sound into your space.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
As the study period went on, the team recorded more and more instances of aggression between bonobos.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2024
And the recent visits to Washington from the leaders of Japan and the Philippines have revived Biden’s worries about Chinese aggression in the region, prompting the State Department to send a delegation to Beijing over the weekend to head off anxiety about a potential escalation regarding Taiwan.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 15 Apr. 2024
But their intense competition, China's military aggression in the South China Sea and persistent tensions over Taiwan make the prospect of cooperation look dim.
—Frank Bajak, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Known as Project Nimbus, the deal to provide AI and cloud services to Israel has become increasingly polarizing as its aggression in Gaza has escalated to what one UN expert denounced as genocide.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2024
Passing more security assistance for any one of these countries on the frontlines of authoritarian aggression should be a slam dunk.
—The Editors, National Review, 17 Apr. 2024
Riyadh seeks greater security cooperation with the United States to ward off similar aggression in the future — an arrangement that the U.S. has indicated would likely be made only if Riyadh also formally recognized and worked with Israel.
—Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024
An act of aggression is implied: someone is exercising power by projecting sound into your space.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
As the study period went on, the team recorded more and more instances of aggression between bonobos.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2024
And the recent visits to Washington from the leaders of Japan and the Philippines have revived Biden’s worries about Chinese aggression in the region, prompting the State Department to send a delegation to Beijing over the weekend to head off anxiety about a potential escalation regarding Taiwan.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 15 Apr. 2024
But their intense competition, China's military aggression in the South China Sea and persistent tensions over Taiwan make the prospect of cooperation look dim.
—Frank Bajak, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aggression.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near aggression
Cite this Entry
“Aggression.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aggression. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
aggression
noun
ag·gres·sion
ə-ˈgresh-ən
1
: an attack made without reasonable cause
2
: the practice of making attacks
3
: hostile or destructive behavior or outlook
Etymology
derived from Latin aggredi "to attack," from ad- "to" and gradi "to step, go"
Medical Definition
aggression
noun
ag·gres·sion
ə-ˈgresh-ən
: hostile, injurious, or destructive behavior or outlook
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