Synonyms of belligerence

belligerence

noun

bə-ˈlij-rən(t)s 

as in aggression

an inclination to fight or quarrel

the dominant male wolf was able to withstand the belligerence of younger challengers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aggression
• aggressiveness
• hostility
• defiance
• bellicosity
• belligerency
• pugnacity
• combativeness
• fight
• militancy
• truculence
• militance
• contentiousness
• feistiness
• assaultiveness
• scrappiness
• quarrelsomeness
• disputatiousness
• irritability
• antagonism
• fierceness
• unfriendliness
• chip on one's shoulder
• jingoism
• militarism
• imperialism
• militantness
• petulance
• rudeness
• surliness
• peevishness
• testiness
• irascibility
• irritableness
• grumpiness
• crankiness
• orneriness
• fractiousness
• querulousness
• crossness
• disagreeableness
• grouchiness
• fretfulness
• hyperaggressiveness
• biliousness
• huffiness
• acidity
• pettishness
• captiousness
• waspishness
• irascibleness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pacifism
• nonaggression
• friendliness
• benevolence
• cordiality
• sociability
• gentleness
• geniality
• affability
• amiability
• graciousness
• pleasantness
• antimilitarism
• mildness
• kindliness
• complaisance
• anti-imperialism
• amicability
• antiaggression
• amenability
• placability

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of belligerence

In the last decade, North Korean belligerence has spurred the creation of an innovative defense industrial base in South Korea, which now exports to clients globally. —Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024

Leaders in Europe have repeatedly warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggression would not just stop at Ukraine, as maps by Newsweek show potential flashpoints if Moscow were to take its belligerence further on the continent. —Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024

Homan displays the sort of belligerence that attracts Trump, but a big question is how far the border czar will go to carry out his mandate. —Chloe Berger, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2024

Australia’s defense spending exceeds the two-percent threshold and the country has big increases planned for the future, but defense experts in Australia have warned that these increases are all scheduled several years from now, which may be too late to deter Chinese belligerence in the near term. —Michael Green, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024