truculence

noun

tru·​cu·​lence ˈtrə-kyə-lən(t)s 

 also  ˈtrü-

: the quality or state of being truculent

Synonyms

• aggression
• aggressiveness
• assaultiveness
• bellicosity
• belligerence
• belligerency
• combativeness
• contentiousness
• defiance
• disputatiousness
• feistiness
• fight
• militance
• militancy
• militantness
• pugnacity
• quarrelsomeness
• scrappiness

Examples of truculence in a Sentence

a congenital truculence that resulted in his spending a significant amount of time in the principal's office

the sergeant's truculence was revealed when she made the recruits run even further in the heat

Recent Examples on the Web

Government regulation had to be escalated and hundreds of lawsuits had to be filed before the company’s truculence was overcome. —Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 9 June 2024

Musk reacted to McCormick’s ruling with characteristic truculence. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2024

And finally, a new series of jolts: a pandemic that wrought havoc on world supply chains; China’s lockdowns at home and its truculence toward Western trading partners critical of its policies; and the economic fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, such as rising energy and food costs. —Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Jan. 2023

Repression at home produces truculence abroad. —Reuel Marc Gerecht, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1727, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

truculence

noun

truc·​u·​lence

ˈtrək-yə-lən(t)s,

 also  ˈtrük-

: the quality or state of being truculent