hawkish
3 antonyms and opposites of hawkish, grouped by meaning.
Adjective — Favouring forceful or aggressive action, particularly military force or a hard line in foreign policy, rather than negotiation.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adjective
Favouring forceful or aggressive action, particularly military force or a hard line in foreign policy, rather than negotiation.
“The new defence secretary is markedly more hawkish than her predecessor.”
Opposites
2. adjective
In economics, favouring tighter monetary policy — higher interest rates and restraint — in order to hold down inflation.
“The minutes struck a hawkish tone and the pound rallied.”
Opposites
Antonyms
How to use hawkish
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Standard in political and financial journalism. The financial sense is now so common that 'hawkish' in a market report is about interest rates, not war.
Etymology
From hawk, the bird of prey, long used figuratively for a person who favours war, with the adjective ending -ish.
Full origin of hawkish →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between hawkish and dovish?
Hawkish means favouring the tougher option — military force in politics, or higher interest rates in economics. Dovish means favouring the softer one — diplomacy and restraint, or lower rates to support growth and employment. The terms describe a position on a spectrum, not a party.
What does hawkish mean in relation to the Fed or the Bank of England?
It means leaning towards raising interest rates or keeping them high to suppress inflation, even at the cost of slower growth. Markets read a hawkish statement as a signal that borrowing will stay expensive, which typically strengthens the currency and weighs on shares.