ENGLISH
REFERENCE

aggressive

adj. · n.
US //əˈɡɹɛsɪv// UK //ɐɡɹˈɛsɪv// ag·gres·sive
  1. 1 angry or violent (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    behaving in an angry or violent way towards others.

    characterised by physical or verbal hostility; prone to unprovoked attacks or confrontation.

    Example

    The dog became aggressive whenever a stranger walked past the garden fence.

    Example

    The suspect's aggressive behaviour toward the officers necessitated a formal de-escalation procedure before the interview could proceed.
  2. 2 determined to succeed (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    using a lot of effort and force to get what you want or to win.

    marked by driving energy or initiative; pursuing goals with forceful or competitive methods.

    Example

    The company launched an aggressive marketing campaign to win new customers.

    Example

    To secure a dominant market share, the startup adopted an aggressive pricing strategy that undercut its more established competitors.
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  1. 3 high risk for high reward (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Finance

    involving a lot of risk in order to make a large profit.

    characterised by high-risk investment strategies aimed at maximising capital appreciation.

    Example

    He chose an aggressive investment plan because he wanted his money to grow quickly.

    Example

    The fund manager recommended an aggressive portfolio heavily weighted toward emerging tech stocks, despite the inherent volatility of that sector.
  2. 4 spreading quickly (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    describing a disease that spreads very fast through the body.

    tending to spread quickly and severely; virulent or malignant in progression.

    Example

    The doctors started treatment immediately because it was an aggressive form of cancer.

    Example

    The patient was diagnosed with an aggressive bacterial infection that required intravenous antibiotics and constant monitoring.
  3. 5 an angry person (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal

    a person who behaves in a violent or forceful way.

    an individual who initiates a confrontation or displays habitual hostility.

    Example

    In this conflict, it was difficult to tell who the original aggressive was.

    Example

    The treaty was designed to penalise the aggressive by imposing strict economic sanctions on any nation that crossed the border.
Origin

From aggress + -ive. Compare with French agressif.

Word family

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