Definition
Ready to attack or confront; behaving in a forceful or hostile way. It can also describe very energetic or determined efforts to achieve something.
Etymology
From Latin *aggressivus* “ready to attack,” from *aggredi* “to approach, attack,” built from *ad-* “to” and *gradi* “to step, go.” The original idea was stepping toward someone, often in attack.
Kelly Says
To be aggressive is literally to step toward something or someone in a forceful way. That’s why we talk about ‘aggressive marketing’ or ‘aggressive treatment’—it’s not always violent, but it’s always pushy and intense.
Translations
ARالعربية
عدواني
ud-wa-nee
BNবাংলা
আক্রমণাত্মক
aak-ro-mon-at-mok
CSČeština
agresivní
ah-greh-SIV-nee
DADansk
aggressiv
ah-greh-SEEV
DEDeutsch
aggressiv
ah-greh-SEEF
ELΕλληνικά
επιθετικός
e-pee-the-ti-KOS
ESEspañol
agresivo
ah-greh-SEE-voh
FAفارسی
تهاجمی
ta-ha-jo-mee
FISuomi
aggressiivinen
ah-greh-see-vi-nen
FRFrançais
agressif
ah-greh-SEEF
HAHA
mai tsanani
mai tsa-na-nee
HEעברית
תוקפני
tok-fa-nee
HIहिन्दी
आक्रामक
aak-ra-mak
HUMagyar
agresszív
ah-greh-SEEV
IDBahasa Indonesia
agresif
ah-greh-SEEF
ITItaliano
aggressivo
ah-greh-SEE-voh
KKKK
агрессивті
ah-greh-siv-tee
KMKM
ឈ្លានពាន
chlean-pean
KO한국어
공격적인
gong-gyeok-jeok-in
MSBahasa Melayu
agresif
ah-greh-SEEF
MYမြန်မာ
ရန်လိုသော
yan-lo-thaw
NLNederlands
agressief
ah-greh-SEEF
NONorsk
aggressiv
ah-greh-SEEV
PLPolski
agresywny
ah-greh-SIV-niy
PTPortuguês
agressivo
ah-greh-SEE-voo
RORomână
agresiv
ah-greh-SEEV
RUРусский
агрессивный
ah-greh-SEEV-niy
SVSvenska
aggressiv
ah-greh-SEEV
SWKiswahili
mkali
m-KAH-lee
TAதமிழ்
ஆக்கிரமிப்பு
aak-ki-ra-mip-pu
TEతెలుగు
దూకుడు
doo-ku-du
TLTL
agresibo
ah-greh-SEE-bo
TRTürkçe
saldırgan
sal-duhr-GAHN
UKУкраїнська
агресивний
ah-greh-siv-niy
URاردو
جارحانہ
ja-ri-ha-nah
VITiếng Việt
hung hăng
hoong hang
ZUZU
nobudlova
no-bud-lo-va
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Aggression has been culturally coded as masculine, sometimes rewarded in men and punished in women, especially in leadership or negotiation. Describing women as 'aggressive' has often been a way to police assertiveness that is accepted from men.
Inclusive Usage
Distinguish clearly between harmful aggression and healthy assertiveness, and apply terms consistently across genders.
Inclusive Alternatives
["assertive","forceful","hostile","overly pushy"]