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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of belligerence
Ramírez arrived in Amman at the moment when the fedayeen groups were at the height of their power and belligerence, and the kingdom was teetering on the brink of all-out conflict.
—
Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
Advocates of trade barriers against China cite the country’s poor human rights record and its belligerence toward neighbors.
—Marc Joffe, Oc Register, 16 Dec. 2025
The encounter by Canadian aircraft monitoring these vessels with Chinese aircraft points to both Beijing’s backing of the secretive state and its belligerence in the wider region.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
At the same time, observers in Washington and Seoul have become hopeful that growing public support in South Korea for developing an independent nuclear deterrent might provide Beijing with another compelling reason to renew its efforts to restrain the North’s belligerence.
—Shuxian Luo, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for belligerence
Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
Advocates of trade barriers against China cite the country’s poor human rights record and its belligerence toward neighbors.
—Marc Joffe, Oc Register, 16 Dec. 2025
The encounter by Canadian aircraft monitoring these vessels with Chinese aircraft points to both Beijing’s backing of the secretive state and its belligerence in the wider region.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
At the same time, observers in Washington and Seoul have become hopeful that growing public support in South Korea for developing an independent nuclear deterrent might provide Beijing with another compelling reason to renew its efforts to restrain the North’s belligerence.
—Shuxian Luo, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for belligerence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belligerence
Noun
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Armia, also signed over the summer, has been as advertised, bringing aggression, energy and a serious threat to score shorthanded.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
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With Russia and Belarus officially banned, and the games taking place in Europe, there will likely be significant diplomatic attention on Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.—
Samuel Sanders,
Time,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The brothers now couch surf between family members’ homes and Airbnbs, intent on documenting what some describe as the unprecedented aggressiveness of Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis.—
Sophia Peyser,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
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Gardner, who has impressed as a reserve recently with his relentless energy and aggressiveness, recorded 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field, 1-of-2 shooting on threes and 3-of-5 shooting from the foul line, 11 rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes on Saturday.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Stuart said the measure reflects a sobering escalation in political hostility and violence.—
Jack O'Connor,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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In his second term, their defining emotions are hostility and happiness.—
Christine Zhang,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belligerence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belligerence. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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