belligerent

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

Keep scrolling for more

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 She was arrested and was belligerent during the booking process. — cleveland.com, "Man dragging drunken woman just trying to get her home: Middleburg Heights Police Blotter," 9 Aug. 2019 Today, such a declaration has to do with how citizens and property from belligerent and neutral states are treated, rather than the actual use of force. — David B. Rivkin Jr. And Lee A. Casey, WSJ, "Congress Declares War, but Only the President Can Make It," 15 Jan. 2020 For his many, many faults, Tillerson was nevertheless one of the administration’s staunchest defenders of the Iran nuclear agreement — and among its most ardent opponents of a belligerent approach to North Korea. — Eric Levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Donald Trump Has Never Been More Dangerous Than He Is Now," 21 Mar. 2018 NBC News, citing five current and former senior administration officials, reported on Monday that Mr. Trump authorized Soleimani's killing seven months ago if Iran's increasingly belligerent actions led to the death of an American. — CBS News, "Iran says U.S. bears blame for Iranian forces shooting down plane," 15 Jan. 2020 In 2019 the most striking political trend was a negative one: belligerent nationalism. — The Economist, "The Economist’s country of the year Which nation improved the most in 2019?," 18 Dec. 2019 My client was assaulted by someone known for her aggressive, threatening and belligerent conduct. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, "RHOP's Monique Samuels Files Counter Assault Charges Against Costar Candiace Dillard," 17 Nov. 2019 If someone refuses to quit using tobacco products or becomes belligerent when confronted, then public safety officers will intervene, Clark said. — Bend Bulletin, oregonlive, "Oregon State bans all tobacco products from its campuses," 10 Jan. 2020 That means that a flyer who gets drunk and belligerent on an American Airlines flight to France can be prosecuted only in the U.S., where American Airlines is registered, not in France, where the plane lands. — Hugo Martin, chicagotribune.com, "Crackdown on unruly passengers on international flights starts Jan. 1," 12 Dec. 2019

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.