1
as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
a congenital truculence that resulted in his spending a significant amount of time in the principal's office
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
the sergeant's truculence was revealed when she made the recruits run even further in the heat
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of truculence
Musk reacted to McCormick’s ruling with characteristic truculence.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2024
And finally, a new series of jolts: a pandemic that wrought havoc on world supply chains; China’s lockdowns at home and its truculence toward Western trading partners critical of its policies; and the economic fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, such as rising energy and food costs.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Jan. 2023
Repression at home produces truculence abroad.
—Reuel Marc Gerecht, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2022
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng opened the door to such a meeting after months of diplomatic outbursts from Beijing, where the truculence of the Chinese Foreign Ministry has been matched by military saber-rattling and a crackdown in Hong Kong.
—Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner, 13 Aug. 2020
See All Example Sentences for truculence
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2024
And finally, a new series of jolts: a pandemic that wrought havoc on world supply chains; China’s lockdowns at home and its truculence toward Western trading partners critical of its policies; and the economic fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, such as rising energy and food costs.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Jan. 2023
Repression at home produces truculence abroad.
—Reuel Marc Gerecht, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2022
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng opened the door to such a meeting after months of diplomatic outbursts from Beijing, where the truculence of the Chinese Foreign Ministry has been matched by military saber-rattling and a crackdown in Hong Kong.
—Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner, 13 Aug. 2020
See All Example Sentences for truculence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for truculence
Noun
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Ukraine wants a clear security guarantee to deter Russian aggression down the line, but the U.S. wants to discuss that later.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
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Charles has been demonstrative in his support for Ukraine defending itself against Russian aggression, issuing statements and making regular visits to relief organizations that help refugees from the war, as the New York Times pointed out.—
Martha Ross,
The Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Matthew has been charged with first-degree murder, as well as related weapons possession and animal cruelty charges.—
Laura Barcella,
People.com,
7 Mar. 2025
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The whole movie is about the ways that cruelty and injustice become codified.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This new process was driven by high-profile national incidents of police brutality, including the slaying of teenager Laquan McDonald by a Chicago police officer.—
Forrest Claypool,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
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The mural near the White House went up in summer 2020 to protest police brutality and as a rebuke to President Trump in his first term.—
Cuneyt Dil,
Axios,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The Russian foreign policy establishment always speculated that Europe would be most likely to eventually seek rapprochement with Moscow, while U.S. hostility to Russia was thought to be hard-wired.—
Fred Weir,
The Christian Science Monitor,
5 Mar. 2025
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Guy Pearce is an antagonistic delight wielding passive-aggressive hostility as the main character’s benefactor, and Felicity Jones, as the architect’s loyal wife, is the heart of the piece who steps up when her spouse can’t.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA TODAY,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The mug shot has become one of the most infamous photos of the president and is a symbol of defiance for both Trump and his supporters.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025
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In response, Trump's administration has launched investigation against four of those states – California, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Maine – over potential Title IX violations for their continued defiance of the order.—
Jackson Thompson,
Fox News,
13 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Truculence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/truculence. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
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