Synonyms of bellicose

bellicose

adjective

ˈbe-li-ˌkōs 

as in aggressive

feeling or displaying eagerness to fight

bellicose hockey players who seem to spend more time fighting than playing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aggressive
• militant
• hostile
• belligerent
• warlike
• contentious
• assaultive
• irritable
• confrontational
• pugnacious
• combative
• acidic
• ugly
• truculent
• quarrelsome
• feisty
• fierce
• agonistic
• savage
• argumentative
• vicious
• disputatious
• discordant
• gladiatorial
• chippy
• scrappy
• rude
• antagonistic
• on the warpath
• brawly
• petulant
• cross
• irascible
• peevish
• querulous
• fighting
• warring
• disagreeable
• bilious
• fretful
• ornery
• dyspeptic
• testy
• snappish
• choleric
• waspish
• surly
• fractious
• grouchy
• hot-tempered
• grumpy
• pettish
• bristly
• huffy
• crabby
• ill-tempered
• stroppy
• cranky
• battling
• touchy
• bearish
• ill-natured
• ill-humored
• prickly
• snappy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• peaceful
• peaceable
• nonaggressive
• pacific
• conciliatory
• unwarlike
• friendly
• amiable
• pleasant
• benevolent
• nonbelligerent
• cordial
• genial
• gracious
• good-natured
• affable
• complaisant
• ingratiating
• amicable
• easygoing
• sociable
• uncontentious
• calm
• quiet
• kindhearted
• uncombative
• unbelligerent
• serene
• obliging
• antimilitarist
• benign
• mild
• tranquil
• gentle
• anti-imperialist
• relaxed
• good-tempered
• kindly

Synonym Chooser

How is the word bellicose distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of bellicose are belligerent, contentious, pugnacious, and quarrelsome. While all these words mean "having an aggressive or fighting attitude," bellicose suggests a disposition to fight.

a drunk in a bellicose mood

Where would belligerent be a reasonable alternative to bellicose?

In some situations, the words belligerent and bellicose are roughly equivalent. However, belligerent often implies being actually at war or engaged in hostilities.

belligerent nations

When could contentious be used to replace bellicose?

Although the words contentious and bellicose have much in common, contentious implies perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling.

wearied by his contentious disposition

When might pugnacious be a better fit than bellicose?

The words pugnacious and bellicose can be used in similar contexts, but pugnacious suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat.

a pugnacious gangster

When is quarrelsome a more appropriate choice than bellicose?

While the synonyms quarrelsome and bellicose are close in meaning, quarrelsome stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause.

the heat made us all quarrelsome

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bellicose

But the Taiwanese government has pointed out Beijing’s increasingly bellicose behavior in the Taiwan Strait, including regular military operations around Taiwan in the past several years. — ABC News, 12 June 2026

Tate’s most bellicose advocate was Joseph McBride, a lawyer who’d made his name defending several January 6th rioters. — Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026

His more diplomatic trade advisors are now ascendant, with the bellicose faction represented by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Counselor Peter Navarro increasingly sidelined. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 26 May 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s bellicose and vengeful rhetoric describing the military’s war in Iran grew out of his experience in Iraq. — Patricia Cohen Michael Crowley John Ismay David M. Halbfinger, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026