belligerent

adjective

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bel·lig·er·ent | \ bə-ˈlij-rənt

, -ˈli-jə- \

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

Other Words from belligerent Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Belligerent, Belligerents, and Belligerence Example Sentences Learn More About belligerent

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Choose the Right Synonym for 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

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.

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 on the Web The men are belligerent for no reason; the women seem sly and manipulative. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 5 Sep. 2021 The belligerent passenger was not the first to be taped to his seat. — New York Times, 18 Aug. 2021 In that case, Iran struck a belligerent tone in talks with European governments, and the negotiations aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear program collapsed. — NBC News, 5 Aug. 2021 So can a raid led by chimpanzees, which will form belligerent coalitions to usurp the territories of other groups. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 20 July 2021 The shutdown of a quarter of the United States’ beef production is not the work of environmental activists; REvil, the group believed to be responsible for the attack, is among the most belligerent hacker syndicates in the world. — Daniel Tenreiro, National Review, 2 June 2021 Kutz said Baeppler was belligerent and aggressive and accused a lieutenant of ambushing another officer. — Cory Shaffer, cleveland, 18 June 2021 When deputies arrived, authorities said Hambric was still belligerent. — Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, 11 June 2021 Court records portray Antonio as aggressive and belligerent. — David Klepper, Star Tribune, 29 May 2021

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.