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
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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.
Sticky inflation could push the Fed to take a more hawkish approach, and higher interest rates aren’t good for tech stocks.
From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026
South Korea’s pick to lead its central bank could tilt policy in a more hawkish direction, though what that means for interest rates remains uncertain.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
Gold is set for its third weekly decline, pressured by high energy costs and the Federal Reserve’s hawkish outlook.
From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026
Bond markets are reacting in kind to both the new reality of a hawkish Fed, as well as rate hike signals from the Bank of England and the European Central Bank earlier this week.
From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026
They were all dressed in formals, raw silks in black and gray, and their faces had the same cold, hawkish look.
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
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.
