aggressively

aggressively — adverb

1. showing anger and a wish to attack or hurt someone, often through shouting, thre

1.adverbB2
Definition

showing anger and a wish to attack or hurt someone, often through shouting, threats, or physical force.

Example

The drunk man shouted aggressively at the bartender after his card was declined.

verb + aggressively (manner of speech)

Priya pushed the gate aggressively, almost knocking the security guard over.

Common collocations
  • shout aggressively
  • behave aggressively
  • bark aggressively
  • respond aggressively
  • push aggressively
Synonyms
  • violently

    stronger; involves actual physical force

  • hostilely

    more formal; emphasises an unfriendly attitude

  • menacingly

    focuses on the threat felt by the other person

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

verb + aggressively

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person or animal; the verb is one of speech, movement, or behaviour (shout, push, bark, behave). Distinguish from sense 2: this sense always carries anger or threat, while sense 2 is about determined effort, not hostility.

Common Mistakes

The team played aggressively to win the championship' (when meaning hostile).
The fans behaved aggressively after the loss.
for sports effort use sense 2; reserve this sense for real anger or threat.

2. with strong determination and energy, doing whatever is needed to win, beat riva

2.adverbB2
Definition

with strong determination and energy, doing whatever is needed to win, beat rivals, or reach a goal — common in business, sport, and politics.

Example

Samsung marketed the new phone aggressively, with adverts on every train platform in Taipei.

market + aggressively (business strategy)

The young senator campaigned aggressively in rural districts to win older voters.

Common collocations
  • market aggressively
  • compete aggressively
  • campaign aggressively
  • negotiate aggressively
  • promote aggressively
  • defend aggressively
Synonyms
  • forcefully

    emphasises strength of action; less competitive nuance

  • assertively

    calmer; about stating one's position firmly

  • boldly

    highlights courage to take risks

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

verb + aggressively

Usage Note

Frequently pairs with verbs of strategy and rivalry: market, promote, sell, campaign, compete, negotiate, pursue. Carries no anger — the tone is admiring or neutral. Compare with sense 1 (real hostility) and sense 3 (speed of growth, not effort).

Common Mistakes

Our profits grew aggressively last year' (for company effort).
We expanded aggressively last year.
use sense 3 when describing growth itself; use this sense when describing the actions a person or company takes.

3. growing or spreading much faster and farther than expected within a short period

3.adverbC1
Definition

growing or spreading much faster and farther than expected within a short period — typical of companies, plants, or diseases.

Example

The bamboo in our garden has spread aggressively and now reaches the neighbour's wall.

spread + aggressively (plants)

Shopee expanded aggressively across Southeast Asia between 2018 and 2022.

expand + aggressively (corporate growth)

Common collocations
  • expand aggressively
  • grow aggressively
  • spread aggressively
  • scale aggressively
Synonyms
  • rapidly

    neutral; just about speed, no scale nuance

  • explosively

    stronger; suggests sudden and dramatic growth

  • vigorously

    emphasises healthy energy of growth

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

verb + aggressively

Usage Note

Subject is the thing that grows or spreads (a company, plant, disease, market), not a person making effort. The focus is on speed and scale of change. Distinguish from sense 2, which describes deliberate human action, not the growth itself.

Common Mistakes

The CEO grew the company aggressively' (mixed).
Under the new CEO, the company grew aggressively' OR 'The CEO expanded the company aggressively.
keep the subject as the thing that is growing for this sense.

4. using strong drugs, large doses, or intensive procedures to fight a serious illn

4.adverbC1
Definition

using strong drugs, large doses, or intensive procedures to fight a serious illness as quickly as possible.

Example

Doctors treated the leukaemia aggressively with high-dose chemotherapy and a stem-cell transplant.

treat + aggressively (medical)

Dr. Noa decided to manage the infection aggressively before it reached the patient's lungs.

Common collocations
  • treat aggressively
  • manage aggressively
  • screen aggressively
  • respond aggressively
Synonyms
  • intensively

    more neutral medical term; emphasises high level of care

  • proactively

    highlights early action before symptoms worsen

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

verb + aggressively

Usage Note

Domain-restricted: medicine and public health. Verbs are clinical actions: treat, manage, screen, remove, respond. Implies stronger or earlier intervention than usual, often with greater risk of side effects. Distinguish from sense 2 — the goal here is curing disease, not winning competition.

Common Mistakes

The doctor spoke aggressively to the patient' (for sense 4).
The doctor treated the patient aggressively.
sense 4 describes the clinical method, not how someone speaks; speech with anger belongs to sense 1.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/2

All five describe doing something with strong drive, but the tone differs. 'Aggressively' suggests pushing hard against rivals or obstacles to win — common in business and sport. 'Forcefully' stresses the strength of the action itself, with no sense of competition: a leader can speak forcefully in a peaceful meeting. 'Assertively' is the gentlest of the group: it means stating your position clearly and firmly without attacking anyone. 'Energetically' focuses on the visible effort and enthusiasm, not on beating others. 'Ruthlessly' adds a moral edge — the person ignores fairness or others' feelings. Compare: 'She negotiated assertively' (calm but firm), 'She negotiated aggressively' (pushed the other side hard), and 'She negotiated ruthlessly' (was willing to hurt the other side to win).

aggressively ↗forcefullyassertivelyenergeticallyruthlessly

Common collocations

Phrases

  • act aggressively
  • behave aggressively
  • respond aggressively
  • expand aggressively
  • market aggressively
  • treat aggressively

Prepositions

  • aggressively against
  • aggressively toward(s)

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Built on the adjective 'aggressive' (first recorded in English in the early 1800s) plus the adverb ending '-ly'. 'Aggressive' itself comes from Latin 'aggredi' — meaning to step toward or move against — formed from 'ad-' (toward) and 'gradi' (to step). Originally the word described starting an attack; over time it broadened to cover any forceful, determined action, which is why modern English uses it for sports, business, and even fast-growing companies or diseases.