as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
the dominant male wolf was able to withstand the belligerence of younger challengers
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Recent Examples of belligerence
Malcolm's daughter is struggling in life and school, but her father's genetic toolkit only has belligerence, impulsiveness and thickheadedness, passed on by his on-screen parents.
—
ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
But the real change might be in East Asia, where Kim’s belligerence and rising fears regarding China’s designs on self-ruling Taiwan had already reenergized the nuclear debate.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 28 Mar. 2026
Having worked with people of all types, with agenda’s, belligerence, ultimately, short of a mental illness, there’s a way to get things done with people who think differently, etc.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The belligerence is likely to only grow as Republicans relish the opportunity to grill longtime political foes under oath.
—Stephen Groves, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for belligerence
ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
But the real change might be in East Asia, where Kim’s belligerence and rising fears regarding China’s designs on self-ruling Taiwan had already reenergized the nuclear debate.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 28 Mar. 2026
Having worked with people of all types, with agenda’s, belligerence, ultimately, short of a mental illness, there’s a way to get things done with people who think differently, etc.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The belligerence is likely to only grow as Republicans relish the opportunity to grill longtime political foes under oath.
—Stephen Groves, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for belligerence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belligerence
Noun
-
The problem is, when your side lack intensity, aggression and cohesion, those traps are easy to spot and avoid.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Bass said Pratt’s videos encourage aggression.—
Britta Miller,
The Washington Examiner,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Bears display aggressiveness towards visitors Aggressive bears have been a concern in the park since April, with the animals chasing people and even biting them.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
The two have been engaging in a subtle war of online words with fans noting passive aggressiveness to the max.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The onset of hostilities was enough to persuade around a hundred and eighty Democrats to support the measure.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
As swirling rumors and escalating fears mount of imminent US-Israeli strikes, there is a growing sense of inevitability among many Iranians about the resumption of hostilities.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belligerence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belligerence. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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