Synonyms of belligerence

belligerence

noun

bə-ˈlij-rən(t)s 

as in aggression

an inclination to fight or quarrel

the dominant male wolf was able to withstand the belligerence of younger challengers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aggression
• aggressiveness
• hostility
• defiance
• bellicosity
• belligerency
• pugnacity
• combativeness
• fight
• militancy
• truculence
• militance
• contentiousness
• feistiness
• assaultiveness
• scrappiness
• quarrelsomeness
• disputatiousness
• irritability
• antagonism
• fierceness
• unfriendliness
• chip on one's shoulder
• jingoism
• militarism
• imperialism
• militantness
• petulance
• rudeness
• surliness
• peevishness
• testiness
• irascibility
• irritableness
• grumpiness
• crankiness
• orneriness
• fractiousness
• querulousness
• crossness
• disagreeableness
• grouchiness
• fretfulness
• hyperaggressiveness
• biliousness
• huffiness
• acidity
• pettishness
• captiousness
• waspishness
• irascibleness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pacifism
• nonaggression
• friendliness
• benevolence
• cordiality
• sociability
• gentleness
• geniality
• affability
• amiability
• graciousness
• pleasantness
• antimilitarism
• mildness
• kindliness
• complaisance
• anti-imperialism
• amicability
• antiaggression
• amenability
• placability

Examples of belligerence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

More hatred never overcomes hatred; more revenge never satisfies the ache of loss; more belligerence never calms belligerence. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2024

His base may love his belligerence in a Black crowd. —Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2024

But Morrow’s quiet intensity, which doesn’t soft-pedal Isaac’s arrogance and belligerence, has a haunting quality. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024

Today, in the wake of Russia’s aggression, China’s belligerence and the growing cooperation between the world’s revanchist regimes, the time has come to strengthen NATO with new members, inviolable spending commitments and consequences for failing to meet them. —Marc A. Thiessen, Washington Post, 8 July 2024