Argumentative


fond of or given to and dispute; disputatious; contentious:
The law students were an unusually argumentative group.
of or characterized by ; controversial:
an argumentative attitude toward political issues.
Law. or containing suggesting that a certain fact tends toward a certain conclusion.
Contemporary Examples

“It resulted in an extremely confrontational and argumentative persona,” Dupont says.
The Inside Outsider Artist Anthony Haden-Guest January 13, 2010

“Debate is competitive argumentation so debaters tend to be competitive and argumentative,” Lubetsky said.
Ted Cruz at Princeton: Creepy, Sometimes Well Liked, and Exactly the Same Patricia Murphy August 18, 2013

This deeply engaged, argumentative monologue is an exercise in reaching, again and again beyond the limits of unbelieving.
This Week’s Hot Reads: April 1, 2013 Mythili Rao, Jimmy So March 31, 2013

And being too argumentative can cost you part of your social circle.
Unfriending Over Politics Howard Kurtz March 11, 2012

A “why” question, always dangerous for various reasons, is particularly objectionable when argumentative.
Pistorius’s Cross-Examination Could Have Been Grounds for a Mistrial in a U.S. Court James D. Zirin May 4, 2014

Historical Examples

This conclusive, but as argumentative process not recognised in House.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 93. August 6, 1887. Various

“That’s not the case,” he observed with argumentative calmness.
The Market-Place Harold Frederic

Joe Quigley had locked himself into the inner office, but even there he was surrounded by a group of argumentative young men.
Hoofbeats on the Turnpike Mildred A. Wirt

Uncle Remus seemed to boil over with argumentative indignation.
Nights With Uncle Remus Joel Chandler Harris

By way of securing a sharp contrast serviceable for illustrative and argumentative purposes, I take an extract from Mr. Darwin.
The Relations of Science and Religion Henry Calderwood

adjective
given to arguing; contentious
characterized by argument; controversial
adj.

mid-15c., “pertaining to arguments,” from Old French argumentatif or directly from Latin argumentat-, past participle stem of argumentari (see argue) + -ive. Meaning “fond of arguing” is recorded from 1660s. Related: Argumentatively; argumentativeness.

Read Also:

  • Argumentativeness

    fond of or given to and dispute; disputatious; contentious: The law students were an unusually argumentative group. of or characterized by ; controversial: an argumentative attitude toward political issues. Law. or containing suggesting that a certain fact tends toward a certain conclusion. Historical Examples In this way I probably developed the strain of argumentativeness, or […]

  • Argumentatively

    fond of or given to and dispute; disputatious; contentious: The law students were an unusually argumentative group. of or characterized by ; controversial: an argumentative attitude toward political issues. Law. or containing suggesting that a certain fact tends toward a certain conclusion. Historical Examples Did you say that he was argumentatively inclined so he would […]

  • Arguments

    an oral disagreement; verbal opposition; contention; altercation: a violent argument. a discussion involving differing points of view; debate: They were deeply involved in an argument about inflation. a process of reasoning; series of reasons: I couldn’t follow his argument. a statement, reason, or fact for or against a point: This is a strong argument in […]

  • Argumentum ad hominem

    noun (logic) fallacious argument that attacks not an opponent’s beliefs but his motives or character argument that shows an opponent’s statement to be inconsistent with his other beliefs an instance of either of these Historical Examples You have nobly substituted the argumentum ab humanitate for the argumentum ad hominem, which you so justly condemn. Charles […]

  • Argun

    a river in NE Asia, forming part of the boundary between the Russian Federation and China. About 450 miles (725 km) long. Historical Examples It is formed by the junction of the rivers Sckilk and Argun, and is navigable to the sea. The History of Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia Voltaire Saad-Addaula practised in […]


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