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View synonyms for hawkish

hawkish

[ haw-kish ]

adjective

  1. resembling a hawk, as in appearance or behavior.
  2. advocating war or a belligerently threatening diplomatic policy.


ˈhawkish

/ ˈhɔːkɪʃ /

adjective

  1. favouring the use or display of force rather than diplomacy to achieve foreign policy goals
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Words From

  • hawkish·ly adverb
  • hawkish·ness noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of hawkish1

First recorded in 1835–45; hawk 1 + -ish 1
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Compare Meanings

How does hawkish compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

Hoffman’s specific ask was to have Harris fire Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, who has been hawkish on antitrust enforcement.

From Salon

What it tells us: While Trump often signals his own hawkish economic views on China, he has also vacillated - which could spark tensions with his top foreign policy team.

From BBC

The new Defence Minister, Israel Katz, who up until yesterday was the foreign minister, is more hawkish and much more in step with his boss’s thinking.

From BBC

But both leading Republicans and Democrats are hawkish.

From BBC

Under the Conservatives, UK-China relations blew hot and cold, between the diplomatic warmth of the so-called “golden era” to the hawkish aggression of more recent Conservative leaders.

From BBC

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