aggression

ag·gres·sion

noun \ə-ˈgre-shən\

Definition of AGGRESSION

1

: a forceful action or procedure (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

3

: hostile, injurious, or destructive behavior or outlook especially when caused by frustration

Examples of AGGRESSION

1. He has a lot of pent-up aggression.
2. behavior that is likely to provoke aggression
3. dangerous dogs showing aggression toward people
4. The government says that it will view any attempt to fly over its territory as an act of aggression.

Origin of AGGRESSION

Latin aggression-, aggressio attack, from aggredi to attack, from ad- + gradi to step, go — more at grade

First Known Use: 1611

Related to AGGRESSION

Synonyms: belligerence, aggressiveness, assaultiveness, bellicosity, belligerency, combativeness, contentiousness, defiance, disputatiousness, feistiness, fight, militance, militancy, militantness, pugnacity, quarrelsomeness, scrappiness, truculence

Antonyms: nonaggression, pacifism

Related Words: antagonism, fierceness, hostility, hyperaggressiveness, unfriendliness; imperialism, jingoism, militarism; acidity, biliousness, captiousness, crabbiness, crankiness, crossness, disagreeableness, fractiousness, fretfulness, grouchiness, grumpiness, huffiness, irascibility, irascibleness, irritability, irritableness, orneriness, peevishness, pettishness, petulance, querulousness, rudeness, surliness, testiness, waspishness

Near Antonyms: antiaggression, anti-imperialism, antimilitarism; affability, amiability, amicability, benevolence, cordiality, friendliness, geniality, graciousness, pleasantness, sociability; gentleness, kindliness, mildness; amenability, complaisance, placability

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Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with AGGRESSION

accession, bull session, compression, concession, confession, depression, digression, discretion, egression, expression, impression, ingression, jam session, obsession, oppression, precession, procession, profession, progression, recession, refreshen, regression, repression, secession, skull session, succession, suppression, transgression