as in belligerent
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Recent Examples of trigger-happy
Will Timberwolves president Tim Connelly, the famously trigger-happy former Nuggets GM, take another bold swing to get Anthony Edwards a point guard?
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Nov. 2025
This ending would be shocking in any register, but the fact that Ben is the film’s sole Black character and that his would-be rescuers are an all-white posse of trigger-happy militiamen delivers a truly shattering blow.
—Adam Lowenstein, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2025
Behind the decks, a mischievous, trigger-happy DJ Próvaí occasionally came in a beat too early, adding an air of levity to the occasion.
—Sophie Williams, Billboard, 19 Sep. 2025
As Wallace and Gromit investigate this mysterious thief, their paths cross with the cruel, trigger-happy Lord Victor Quartermaine (Ralph Fiennes), who has his own ambitions for the competition and Wallace’s love interest, Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter).
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trigger-happy
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Nov. 2025
This ending would be shocking in any register, but the fact that Ben is the film’s sole Black character and that his would-be rescuers are an all-white posse of trigger-happy militiamen delivers a truly shattering blow.
—Adam Lowenstein, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2025
Behind the decks, a mischievous, trigger-happy DJ Próvaí occasionally came in a beat too early, adding an air of levity to the occasion.
—Sophie Williams, Billboard, 19 Sep. 2025
As Wallace and Gromit investigate this mysterious thief, their paths cross with the cruel, trigger-happy Lord Victor Quartermaine (Ralph Fiennes), who has his own ambitions for the competition and Wallace’s love interest, Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter).
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trigger-happy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trigger-happy
Adjective
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But his belligerent foreign policy once again overshadowed his attempts at a cohesive economic message.—
Danielle Kurtzleben,
NPR,
21 Jan. 2026
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Lately, the president has revisited his preoccupation with annexing Greenland in an increasingly belligerent manner.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Williamson’s pugnacious lyrics are grounded in manual labor and local indignities, but Planet X’s malaise transcends any neighborhood or job site, toeing the line between angst and grievance.—
Pete Tosiello,
Pitchfork,
27 Jan. 2026
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Kimmel reasserted his place as the most pugnacious of the late-night hosts during his first week back.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The Iranian foreign minister’s bellicose words should not be considered mere rhetoric, Vali Nasr, a professor of international affairs and Middle East studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, told us.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
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Trump’s comments were the latest in a series of recent statements and moves by him and the White House that have sought to dial back his administration’s initially bellicose comments on Pretti’s killing on Saturday in Minneapolis.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Meyer, an at-times combative career litigator, was brought in from the NHL Players Association in 2018 to add muscle to a bargaining team that was viewed as having surrendered ground in the negotiations for the 2017-2021 CBA, which was almost immediately panned as a loss for the players.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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Known for being a staunch player advocate and for his sometimes combative demeanor, Meyer was unanimously elected in a vote of major- and minor-league players held during a video meeting Wednesday afternoon.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Ludwig’s distant paternal ancestors were in fact German Jewish merchants, not warlike princes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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To many Chicagoans, the warlike atmosphere is the result of the increasing aggression of the federal government.—
Geraldo Cadava,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The operation also resulted in the killing of two US citizens, the deployment of aggressive tactics by armed, masked DHS agents, and a soaring sense of trepidation permeating Minnesota’s immigrant communities.—
Yahya Salem,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Torres Hidalgo had been diagnosed with the rare and aggressive form of soft tissue cancer in December 2024.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The ceasefire deal calls for an armed international stabilization force to keep security and ensure the disarming of the militant Hamas group, a key demand of Israel.—
Aamer Madhani,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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But since the beginning of the year, hundreds of Nigerians have been killed, injured, or kidnapped in attacks across the country with responsibility attributed to a mix of militant and criminal actors, including Boko Haram, the Islamic State, and a group known as Lakurawa.—
Adrian Elimian,
semafor.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The robot interpreted the command using an LLM and walked over to a corner of the office in a manner not unlike a truculent 9-year-old.—
Will Knight,
Wired News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Even if the administration has no further military designs on the Western Hemisphere, a virtual sword of Damocles hangs over the head of truculent governments.—
Richard Fontaine,
The Atlantic,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trigger-happy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trigger-happy. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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