gunslinging
- noun
- /ˈɡʌnˌslɪŋɪŋ/
- Literature
- His gunslinging approach in the debate left his opponent visibly intimidated.
Examples
-
Romney's musings on foreign policy are at best off-the-cuff gunslinging and pandering that would (hopefully) disappear if he were elected and had to confront the real responsibility of decision-making in foreign affairs.
Blog text (26) -
The politician's gunslinging rhetoric aimed to dominate the conversation and silence critics.
-
In the meeting, her gunslinging demeanor made it clear she was not willing to back down.
Synonyms
16
6.2
A long angry argument in public between opposing groups
8
7.7
Showing weapons to scare other countries without fighting
7
3.8
A noisy argument in which people try to shout louder than each other
6
5.8
A short angry argument where people try to gain an advantage
6
7.1
Shouting comments to interrupt and upset a person speaking
5
8.9
A long angry speech that attacks a person or their ideas
5
7.9
Unfriendly and aggressive behavior that tries to start a fight
2
7.5
A public argument where people attack each other's ideas
1
7.5
A willingness to argue or fight
1
9.5
To try to make people angry on purpose to get a strong reaction
1
8.4
Shouting comments to interrupt or loudly criticize a speaker
A habit of starting arguments or fights
Antonyms
How Confrontational
- Literature
94
3.5
230
4.5
687
2.3
- Formal
∞
2.0
∞
1.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Gunslinging comes from the image of a gunslinger, a quick Wild West gunfighter. A helpful way to remember this use is to think of people 'pulling out guns' with their words, so gunslinging means aggressive, showy attacks in speech meant to scare or dominate others.