as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
the player became quite belligerent and was thrown out of the game
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in combatant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of belligerent
R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 6 May 2025
Welker’s belligerent attitude set the tone for the interview.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2025
There was a woman who’d fallen asleep in her car, a belligerent guy with a dog, a Range Rover driving the wrong way.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Despite its codification in treaty law, charging a belligerent with starvation crimes was considered too politically sensitive, too entangled with the military strategies of powerful states.
—Boyd Van Dijk, Foreign Affairs, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for belligerent
Adjective
Dear Eric: Last year my father’s funeral was ruined because of a rude and disrespectful cemetery security guard, who yelled at and became belligerent with my family for no reason.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 6 May 2025
Welker’s belligerent attitude set the tone for the interview.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2025
There was a woman who’d fallen asleep in her car, a belligerent guy with a dog, a Range Rover driving the wrong way.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Despite its codification in treaty law, charging a belligerent with starvation crimes was considered too politically sensitive, too entangled with the military strategies of powerful states.
—Boyd Van Dijk, Foreign Affairs, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for belligerent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belligerent
Adjective
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Addressing the Obvious Critiques Yes, 3–4% real growth is aggressive.—
Don Muir,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
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After the aggressive animal showed no signs of leaving, the woman’s boyfriend fatally shot it, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2025
Noun
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Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2025
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His platoon was pinned down in the jungle, under constant combatant fire, When the enemy threw a live grenade.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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In response to the vote, Iraqi troops retook vast swathes of territory seized by Kurdish forces during their joint fight against the Islamic State militant group (ISIS).—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
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In December, after years of stalemate in the war, Assad’s long-standing authoritarian regime collapsed, in the face of an unexpected offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist militant group once affiliated with al-Qaida.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Pieced together, the bucket depicts a hunting scene featuring a warrior surrounded by animals.—
Lillian Ali,
Smithsonian Magazine,
29 May 2025
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Voices Hiltzik: Right-wing culture warriors say wokeness is dead.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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The game is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET and Pacers fans are sure to bring the energy and create a hostile atmosphere for New York.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 May 2025
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Some of countries in the continent that are rich in uranium, such as Niger and Gabon, may be delicate or difficult to deal with in the near term as both underwent military coups recently, with Niger turning hostile toward the French and more toward the Russians.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Noun
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Under current policy, decisions to separate soldiers outside standard regulatory grounds rest solely with the secretary of the Army — a power typically reserved for exceptional circumstances.—
Eleanor Watson,
CBS News,
30 May 2025
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Federal prosecutors allege Tian sold sensitive military information to former soldier Ruoyu Duan, who would allegedly receive money from individuals residing in China.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Despite several lights on inside, no one answered the door when a trooper knocked multiple times.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
30 May 2025
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State troopers said the remains were transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for identification and autopsies, and that next of kin had been notified.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
29 May 2025
Noun
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Footage released by the Philippines has shown the Chinese coast guard using ramming maneuvers and water cannon attacks that Manila said left Philippine servicemen injured.—
Micah McCartney — reporting from Shangri-La Dialogue, Singapore,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
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Image Image The Vietnam War was many things: a nationalist uprising against colonization, a killing machine that took the lives of at least one million Vietnamese and 58,000 American servicemen, and a civil war in Asia that tore America apart.—
Damien Cave,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Belligerent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belligerent. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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