1
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
die-hard fans who became truculent and violent after their team's loss
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abusive
marked by harsh insulting language
a theater critic who was notorious for his titanically truculent reviews
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
played the role of a disturbed and truculent villain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of truculent
Needing Maher’s truculent approval to sustain their own arguments, they’re defined by their enemy.
—
Armond White, National Review, 7 June 2024
Little kids squirm in makeshift beds trying to stay awake for Santa, while truculent teenagers sneak out into the suburban night to do secret teenager things.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 17 May 2024
Russia’s truculent and obstructionist foreign policy under President Vladimir Putin comes from a sense of having lost the Cold War in the 1980s and having suffered the consequences of the defeat in the 1990s.
—Odd Arne Westad, Foreign Affairs, 27 Mar. 2018
Mexico City is so inept, so compromised by the cartels, and so truculent that joint military action seems a pipe dream.
—Christian Schneider, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for truculent
Armond White, National Review, 7 June 2024
Little kids squirm in makeshift beds trying to stay awake for Santa, while truculent teenagers sneak out into the suburban night to do secret teenager things.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 17 May 2024
Russia’s truculent and obstructionist foreign policy under President Vladimir Putin comes from a sense of having lost the Cold War in the 1980s and having suffered the consequences of the defeat in the 1990s.
—Odd Arne Westad, Foreign Affairs, 27 Mar. 2018
Mexico City is so inept, so compromised by the cartels, and so truculent that joint military action seems a pipe dream.
—Christian Schneider, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for truculent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for truculent
Adjective
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But in recent weeks, Musk dramatically lowered his taxpayer savings estimates from DOGE's government cuts, disagreed publicly with Trump's aggressive tariff policies and butted heads with multiple Trump officials, some publicly, revealing divisions within the White House over Musk's influence.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
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After Leandro Trossard’s red card, the approach became even more aggressive — City’s entire team was essentially camped inside or on the edge of Arsenal’s box.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Huge Fed Challenge—Sparking Stock Market Plunge As Gold And Bitcoin Price Soar New Gmail Warning — Do Not Open This Email From Google Cena called out fans for being abusive, only to cheer for Heel Cena without apologizing.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Spanking’s impact on a child is unfortunately similar to abusive hitting.—
Christina Erickson,
The Conversation,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This high school student completed a brutal swim across New Zealand's 13.67-mile Cook Strait 02:16 CNN — Maya Merhige eventually stopped counting her jellyfish stings, such was the frequency with which they were getting scorched against her skin.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
30 Apr. 2025
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Although understanding the difference between destructive and constructive feedback helps leaders communicate brutal truths without causing unnecessary harm, these examples highlight how easily criticism can become a personal attack.—
Topsie VandenBosch,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The attack at Pahalgam on Tuesday was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), which is an offshoot of Pakistan's Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
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While the Pulwama attack was claimed by the militant Islamist group Jaish-e-Mohammed and targeted security personnel, the one on Tuesday involved unarmed civilians, and any claims of responsibility have been vague and unverified.—
Salman Masood,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But in March, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle in Tacoma, Wash., ruled for several long-serving transgender military members who say that the ban is insulting and discriminatory and that their firing would cause lasting damage to their careers and reputations.—
Mark Sherman,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
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But to suggest that the declining birth rate is largely a function of people not knowing how their bodies work is both insulting and ignorant of the real issue.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Such evidence could support the view that incessant loud noise amounts to torture or cruel treatment towards cetaceans, in turn galvanizing support for a new right to be free from such harm.—
David Gruber,
Time,
24 Apr. 2025
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But this is the cruel and unreasonable state of this Administration's deportation policy.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Trump’s aggressive targeting of major law firms, many of which have advocated liberal policy positions and clients, also marks a striking new front in his second-term legal battles, as the administration pressures firms seen as politically hostile or unwilling to back its agenda.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
3 May 2025
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Russia will accrue enormous economic benefits if the United States facilitates its reentry into the world economy, generating revenue that will go directly to rebuilding its military, funding hostile intelligence operations and propping up a regime that’s never far from its next military adventure.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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Waters’ career has been defined by his fearless — often outrageous — approach to spotlighting LGBTQ+ actors and themes.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2025
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Amending the Constitution would not happen overnight, but starting the process would most definitely put the spotlight on Trump and the outrageous historical precedents set by those who came before him, which have helped to make our current national crisis not only possible but perhaps inevitable.—
Patrick Eddington,
Oc Register,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Truculent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/truculent. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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