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
Israel’s belligerence is another complicating factor.
—
Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for belligerence
Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for belligerence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belligerence
Noun
-
Hegseth, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s premier forum for defense leaders, militaries and diplomats, said a stronger, more self-reliant network of allies is essential to deter aggression and preserve the balance of power.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
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Fudd started the second half with the Wings’ first bucket, her second 3-pointer of the game, and kept the aggression going, finishing the game with 9-of-15 shooting with three rebounds and two assists.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Lurie partly values Roseman because of his strategic aggressiveness to make sure great players are locked down long term.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
Some more aggressiveness on the bases as well.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The idea is that those first steps would create space for gradual deescalation and an effective cessation of hostilities.—
Khaled Wassef,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
-
The concept, previously presented in European animation settings including Annecy, was pitched as a YA story about mental health, identity, online hostility and self-acceptance.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belligerence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belligerence. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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