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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of truculence
Trump’s truculence has infuriated many Canadians, leading many to cancel U.S. vacations, refuse to buy American goods and possibly even vote early.
—
Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Frederic could be a fallback third-line centre option if the Leafs can’t get someone better (like Coyle), or support otherwise — truculence and scoring — on the wing.
—Jonas Siegel, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Other international powers are showing even less patience for Israeli truculence.
—Shalom Lipner, Foreign Affairs, 25 Nov. 2024
Government regulation had to be escalated and hundreds of lawsuits had to be filed before the company’s truculence was overcome.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 9 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for truculence
Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Frederic could be a fallback third-line centre option if the Leafs can’t get someone better (like Coyle), or support otherwise — truculence and scoring — on the wing.
—Jonas Siegel, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Other international powers are showing even less patience for Israeli truculence.
—Shalom Lipner, Foreign Affairs, 25 Nov. 2024
Government regulation had to be escalated and hundreds of lawsuits had to be filed before the company’s truculence was overcome.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 9 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for truculence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for truculence
Noun
-
Kyiv fears that Moscow could use that territory as a launchpad for further aggression.—
Volodymyr Yurchuk,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
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Unfortunately, the quality of the program was low and resulted in rising aggression and behavior issues among children, especially boys, and hurt parental relationships.—
Abby McCloskey,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The post-liberals stand for cruelty and inanity, but Brooks can’t admit to standing for much of anything at all.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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In an era of near continuous cruelty by the administration, the imprisonment of the boy and his father attracted massive media and political attention and eventually saw both released on February 1.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And though some executives have noted his methodical approach can be difficult when making deals, others have praised his overall aggressiveness.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
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Still, Bridges insists aggressiveness is not the issue.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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During the May 2020 George Floyd demonstration, protesters in downtown Los Angeles briefly shut down portions of the 101 Freeway after entering near Alameda Street, temporarily halting traffic to draw attention to the killing of Floyd and broader concerns about police brutality.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
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Mihankhah spent roughly 15 years trying to raise awareness about the brutalities of the Iranian government.—
Alexandria Burris,
IndyStar,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Iran war has entered its fifth week with hostilities escalating across the region.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
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After all, a bit more than a decade later, hostilities would explode anew in the Arab-Israeli War of 1967, during which Nasser shut the canal again.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
According to the Indivisible site, what began in 2025 as a single day of defiance has become a sustained national resistance to tyranny, spreading from small towns to city centers and across every community determined to defend democracy.—
Gina Grillo,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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And an underdog who stayed in the contest in defiance of steep odds and, seemingly, common sense.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Truculence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/truculence. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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