belligerent

adjective bel·lig·er·ent \ bə-ˈlij-rənt , -ˈli-jə- \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Examples: belligerent in a Sentence

Editor's Note: belligerent, belligerents, and belligerence

Definition of belligerent

1 : inclined to or exhibiting assertiveness, hostility, or combativeness

2 : waging war; specifically : belonging to or recognized as a state at war and protected by and subject to the laws of war

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belligerent

noun

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belligerently

adverb

See belligerent defined for English-language learners

See belligerent defined for kids

Examples of belligerent in a Sentence

… it took very little alcohol to make him belligerent, and he became even more thuggish and incoherent when he threw in a few sleeping pills as well. —Christopher Hitchens, New York Times Book Review, 8 Oct. 2000
Coots are belligerent, territorial, quick-tempered birds. Nothing irritates a coot like another coot … —Kenneth Brower, Smithsonian, December 1998
Instead, we revered the guys on the streets, the thugs who were brazen and belligerent. They wore their hats backwards, left their belt buckles unfastened and shoelaces untied. —Nathan McCall, Washington Post, 25-31 Mar. 1991
She was a brigantine, a small two-masted vessel, refitted for belligerent action in the newly created American Navy. —Barbara W. Tuchman, The First Salute, 1988
He was drunk and belligerent.
the coach became quite belligerent and spit at an umpire after being thrown out of the game

Recent Examples of belligerent from the Web

Talking is much better than the belligerent exchange that went before it (see Briefing).

— The Economist, "Dealing with North Korea, Trump puts showmanship first," 14 June 2018
The defense attorney painted Hernandez as a belligerent and intoxicated patron who had, minutes earlier, tried to start a fight with a different patron and threatened to retrieve a gun from his vehicle.

— brian rogers, Houston Chronicle, "Choking trial 0614," 13 June 2018
In their knee-jerk opposition to even an attempt at negotiation, these Senate Democrats are aligning themselves with the most belligerent elements of the Trump administration, notably national security advisor John Bolton.

— jeet heer, The New Republic, "Democrats need to give peace a chance in North Korea.," 7 June 2018
As politicians have discovered, there are tradeoffs involved in allowing the loudest and most belligerent voices -- those prone to speaking in Sith-like absolutes -- to define the terms of debate.

— brian lowry, CNN, "'Star Wars' should resist bowing to the force of its most vocal fans," 4 June 2018
There is no violence or physical altercation shown, and DuBose does not appear to be belligerent or aggressive toward the officer.

— dan horn, Cincinnati.com, "Ray Tensing video: Samuel DuBose's last words were 'I didn't even do nothing.'," 29 July 2015
However, his comments were the most positive from any U.S. official since Trump abruptly canceled the meeting last week after belligerent statements from the North.

— matthew lee and josh lederman, Fox News, "North Koreans to meet Trump; 'good progress' toward summit," 1 June 2018
However, his comments were the most positive from any U.S. official since Mr. Trump abruptly canceled the meeting last week after belligerent statements from the North.

— CBS News, "Top North Korean official expected to deliver letter to Trump in Washington," 1 June 2018
The rapper was taken into custody at the Solidaritet nightclub in Stockholm early Thursday morning after acting belligerent and punching a security guard in the face, prosecutor Carl Mellberg previously told PEOPLE.

— maria pasquini, PEOPLE.com, "'Grateful' G-Eazy Breaks Silence After Assault & Drug Conviction: 'Craziest Experience of My Life'," 6 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'belligerent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

belligerent, belligerents, and belligerence

Belligerent may function as either an adjective or a noun. As an adjective, it has two primary meanings, each of which corresponds to the two senses of its noun form.

The older sense (“waging war”) is generally used to refer to the actions or combatants of a nation at war, or to the nation itself ("belligerent operations"; "belligerent troops"; “the belligerent state”); it is paralleled by the earliest sense of the noun, “a nation at war” (“the belligerents assembled at the peace conference”). The second sense of belligerent (“inclined to or exhibiting assertiveness, hostility, or combativeness”), which usually applies to persons or animals, or to their attitudes or actions, likewise parallels the second sense of the noun (“a person taking part in a fight”). A related noun belligerence refers to “an aggressive or truculent attitude, atmosphere, or disposition” that can be either individual or global.

Origin and Etymology of belligerent

modification of Latin belligerant-, belligerans, present participle of belligerare to wage war, from belliger waging war, from bellum war + gerere to wage

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1577

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

belligerent Synonyms

Phrases

on the warpath;

Synonym Discussion of belligerent

belligerent, bellicose, pugnacious, quarrelsome, contentious mean having an aggressive or fighting attitude. belligerent often implies being actually at war or engaged in hostilities.

- belligerent nations

bellicose suggests a disposition to fight.

- a drunk in a bellicose mood

pugnacious suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat.

- a pugnacious gangster

quarrelsome stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause.

- the heat made us all quarrelsome

contentious implies perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling.

- wearied by his contentious disposition

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

BELLIGERENT Defined for English Language Learners

belligerent

adjective

Definition of belligerent for English Language Learners

: angry and aggressive : feeling or showing readiness to fight
: fighting a war : engaged in a war

BELLIGERENT Defined for Kids

belligerent

adjective bel·lig·er·ent \ bə-ˈli-jə-rənt \

Definition of belligerent for Students

1 : carrying on war belligerent nations

2 : feeling or showing readiness to fight

belligerent remarks

a belligerent stranger

belligerent

noun

Definition of belligerent for Students

1 : a nation at war

2 : a person taking part in a fight

Law Dictionary

belligerent

adjective bel·lig·er·ent \ bə-ˈli-jə-rənt \

legal Definition of belligerent

1 : waging war : carrying on war; specifically : belonging to or recognized as an organized military power protected by and subject to the laws of war

2 : inclined to or exhibiting hostility or a combative temperament