as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
an inveterate belligerency that needs to be addressed by classes in anger management
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Recent Examples of belligerency
Contrary to former President Joe Biden, our co-belligerency is not to make Ukraine safe for democracy.
—
Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2025
Congress has given away its power to declare war to the president, handing over the ability to take the nation from a state of peace to a state of belligerency or co-belligerency.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 7 July 2024
Credibility requires consistency, not belligerency.
—Keren Yarhi-Milo, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2017
Furthermore, pursuant to Additional Protocol I, Article 47(1), mercenaries do not qualify as combatants, and as such, cannot benefit from the privilege of belligerency.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 12 June 2022
The formal and informal Democratic establishment convinced itself that the country had been repelled by Trump’s belligerency in his debate with Biden.
—Conrad Black, National Review, 14 Oct. 2020
So all you're left with was this over the top belligerency of the president, which didn't go over well with people.
—NBC News, 4 Oct. 2020
What Flake doesn’t get is that Trump’s culture war belligerency is the first time many GOP voters feel the party is doing something for them.
—Jonathan Tamari, Philly.com, 27 Oct. 2017
This is also the right time to demonstrate to North Korea that we will not be intimidated or blackmailed by Pyongyang's belligerency.
—chicagotribune.com, 6 Sep. 2017
Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2025
Congress has given away its power to declare war to the president, handing over the ability to take the nation from a state of peace to a state of belligerency or co-belligerency.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 7 July 2024
Credibility requires consistency, not belligerency.
—Keren Yarhi-Milo, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2017
Furthermore, pursuant to Additional Protocol I, Article 47(1), mercenaries do not qualify as combatants, and as such, cannot benefit from the privilege of belligerency.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 12 June 2022
The formal and informal Democratic establishment convinced itself that the country had been repelled by Trump’s belligerency in his debate with Biden.
—Conrad Black, National Review, 14 Oct. 2020
So all you're left with was this over the top belligerency of the president, which didn't go over well with people.
—NBC News, 4 Oct. 2020
What Flake doesn’t get is that Trump’s culture war belligerency is the first time many GOP voters feel the party is doing something for them.
—Jonathan Tamari, Philly.com, 27 Oct. 2017
This is also the right time to demonstrate to North Korea that we will not be intimidated or blackmailed by Pyongyang's belligerency.
—chicagotribune.com, 6 Sep. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belligerency
Noun
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The Workplace Bully Forget the Hollywood version — the red-faced screamer, the open aggression bully.—
Jason Walker PsyD,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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That means reducing aggression, agitation, and sleep disturbances.—
Dr. Sabooh Mubbashar,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
When expectant fathers face hostility or subtle exclusion at work, the consequences can extend beyond their own careers.—
Kim Elsesser,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Questions were raised over Putin’s motives in calling the brief halt to hostilities, which came just after the Trump administration threatened to abandon peace efforts without tangible signs of progress.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Belligerency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belligerency. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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