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
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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
-
Observing human behavior confirms that for some among us, the perfidious lust for unbridled power and the imposition of cruelty in its quest know no bounds and are bereft of human decency.—
A.O. Scott,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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An animal cruelty investigation involving two dogs has ignited outrage on social media, after photos revealed the pets were tethered and abandoned during Charlotte’s weekend snow storm.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
3 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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Critics, meanwhile, brought up police brutality, citing the killing of George Floyd, the video of which spurred national outrage.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
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Outside the home are the brutalities and horrors of war and the aftermath of war and of life under the Taliban’s first regime; inside are the brutalities and horrors of domestic violence at the hands of Rasheed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Instead, an arcane academic skirmish has devolved into open hostilities.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Fox News Digital reviewed internal Signal chat messages from Seattle-area rapid response groups showing that the rejection of whistles triggered open hostility.—
Asra Q. Nomani,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
José Antonio Kast’s decisive victory, driven by anxiety over crime and migration, arrived without overt institutional defiance.—
Alejandro Reyes,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
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That would include open defiance of a court order.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Truculence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/truculence. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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