hawkish
Americanadjective
-
resembling a hawk, as in appearance or behavior.
-
advocating war or a belligerently threatening diplomatic policy.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- hawkishly adverb
- hawkishness noun
Etymology
Origin of hawkish
Compare meaning
How does hawkish compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Someone who's hawkish is in favor of going to war with other countries. The president's hawkish advisors will frequently recommend military solutions to conflicts. In politics, the adjective hawkish is useful for describing people, groups, or political parties that consistently prefer the war option for reacting to problems around the world. A hawkish politician, also called a hawk or war hawk, might vote in favor of continuing a military operation instead of ending it, for example. This word dates from the 1960s.
Vocabulary lists containing hawkish
This Week in Words: June 1–7, 2019
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Big Science
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Captain Superlative!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sunak’s essay pairs hawkish foreign policy analysis with patriotic nostalgia for how the Royal Navy used to maintain Britain’s position as a “global hegemon.”
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026
Goldman’s economists also think that the market’s expectations of a Fed policy response to growing inflationary pressures is too hawkish.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
Core inflation—which strips out some volatile items—is likely to stay below 4%, reducing the need for the central bank to assume a hawkish stance near-term, DBS said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Powell, he noted, declined to say that years of above-target inflation should change how the Fed handles a supply shock—a more hawkish position that some had expected him to take.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
Kamau was walking beside him, shoulder to shoulder, his hawkish gaze trained ahead.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
