3 syllables: ag, gress, or. Stress on gress.
uh-GRES-ur
/əˈɡɹɛsɚ/
aggressor is pronounced uh-GRES-ur (/əˈɡɹɛsɚ/). It has three syllables (ag-gress-or), with the stress on "gress". An aggressor is someone who initiates or carries out hostile or violent action, often aiming to intimidate or dominate others. The term carries a confrontational, adversarial tone and is commonly used in discussions of conflict, warfare, or personal defense. It emphasizes the actor’s intent to threaten or overpower a target rather than merely defend. (2–4 sentences, 50–80 words).
An aggressor is someone who initiates or carries out hostile or violent action, often aiming to intimidate or dominate others. The term carries a confrontational, adversarial tone and is commonly used in discussions of conflict, warfare, or personal defense. It emphasizes the actor’s intent to threaten or overpower a target rather than merely defend. (2–4 sentences, 50–80 words)
"The aggressor fired the first shot, and the confrontation escalated quickly."
"Police identified the aggressor after reviewing surveillance footage."
"The mediator urged both sides to avoid escalating the aggressor’s violence."
Pronounce as ə-GRESS-er, with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US /əˈɡrɛsəɹ/, UK /əˈɡrɛsə/, AU /əˈɡɹɛsə/. Start with a neutral schwa in the first syllable, then a clear /ɡr/ cluster followed by /ɛ/ in the stressed syllable, and end with a light /ɹ/ or /ɹə/ depending on your accent. Think: “uh-GRESS-ər.”
Two frequent errors: 1) Misplacing stress as a-GRESS-or rather than ə-GRESS-ər; ensure the stress falls on the second syllable. 2) Slurring the final -or as a hard /ɔː/ or dropping the final vowel, producing /ˈæɡrɛs/; keep a short, neutral ending /ə/ or /ɹ/ depending on accent. Practice by isolating the stressed syllable: GRESS, then add the first and last syllables clearly.
US tends to pronounce the final /ɚ/ or /ər/ with a rhotacized ending, UK tends toward a reduced final syllable /ə/ or non-rhotic /əˈɡresə/ without linking /ɹ/, and Australian often aligns with non-rhotic tendencies but with a slightly longer /ɹ/ in careful speech. The stressed vowel /ɛ/ remains consistent across accents. IPA references: US /əˈɡrɛsəɹ/, UK /əˈɡrɛsə/, AU /əˈɡɹɛsə/.
Two main factors: the initial cluster /ˈɡr/ after a weak first syllable and the final unstressed syllable, which often reduces to a schwa or a syllabic /ɹ/. The combination of aspiration, consonant cluster, and vowel reduction creates potential mispronunciations like /ˈæɡrɛsɚ/ or /əˈɡræsə/. Focus on keeping /ɡr/ together and producing a light, non-emphasized final /ə/ or /ɹ/.
The second syllable carries primary stress, and the /gr/ cluster links to a mid-front vowel /ɛ/—this requires precise tongue position: the back of the tongue rises toward the soft palate while the tip approaches the alveolar ridge for /ɡr/. The trailing /ər/ in many dialects adds a rhotic ending or a light schwa plus a rhotic; keep this ending clean to avoid tonal drift and ensure clarity in rapid speech.
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Aggressor comes from the late Latin aggressor, from aggressus, the past participle of aggressus, meaning “approach, attack.” This derives from ad- “toward” + gradi “to walk, go.” The word’s earliest senses in Latin framed someone who advances or makes an attack, which then carried into Old French and Middle English with similar combat-oriented nuances. By the 15th–17th centuries, English usage sharpened toward “one who attacks” in legal, military, and criminal contexts. Over time, aggressor solidified as a specific label for a person who initiates aggression, rather than a bystander or victim, aligning with terms like aggress and aggression. First known English attestations appear in legal-military discourse and political polemics, reflecting a society preoccupied with culpability in violent encounters.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "aggressor" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "aggressor" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "aggressor"
-sor sounds
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