belligerent

adjective

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 women are just as blotto and belligerent as the men. — Washington Post, "Here’s to the class-conflicted, workplace-inappropriate ‘Below Deck’ — TV’s ideal mental vacation," 13 June 2019 Late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner is depicted as a belligerent boss constantly complaining about his fellow owners turning into socialists. — Paul Sullivan, chicagotribune.com, "7 takeaways from Bud Selig's new book, including inheriting a 'nightmare' when he took over as MLB commissioner and helping the Cubs land Theo Epstein," 9 June 2019 His message to Congress gave belligerent legislators room to declare it. — John Maxwell Hamilton, National Geographic, "In a battle for readers, two media barons sparked a war in the 1890s," 16 Apr. 2019 To expect a return of this territory after such a belligerent action is simply fanciful thinking. — WSJ, "Golan and Crimea Annexations Are Different," 8 Apr. 2019 Ever since, tensions between the two countries have been rising once again, culminating in Trump’s belligerent tweet to Iran. — Madeleine Ngo, Vox, "“Definitely not”: Iran’s foreign ministry rejects the possibility of a meeting with Trump," 31 July 2018 But the oil market really began to come around to the idea of a heightened conflict with Iran in March when Trump reshuffled his cabinet and nominated some belligerent Iran hawks to his cabinet. — Nick Cunningham, USA TODAY, "Oil prices analysis: How high could Trump actions, Saudi efforts push cost per barrel?," 20 Apr. 2018 Among those flanking Trump will be Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton, whose belligerent rhetoric toward North Korea briefly derailed the summit last month. — Eric Levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Will Leave Summit With North Korea Early," 11 June 2018 As is often the case with historical events, neither belligerent had much claim to the moral high ground. — Max Hastings, WSJ, "The Hidden Atrocities of the Vietnam War," 4 Oct. 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.