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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as in combatant
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Recent Examples of belligerent
Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
That’s an unnerving reality for the United States military, which has nearly 30,000 troops and its largest overseas base in South Korea, serving as a check against a belligerent North Korea and counterweight to an aggressive China in a strategically critical region.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
The man allegedly continued to be belligerent and loud, state police said, which alarmed area residents, some of which came out of their houses.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 19 Nov. 2024
Mike seemed perfectly willing to negotiate with that crooked Nevada senator until the man got belligerent and racist and insulted Michael’s family.
—Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for belligerent 
Adjective
That will be especially important because China in recent years has strengthened ties with a belligerent Algiers.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
That’s an unnerving reality for the United States military, which has nearly 30,000 troops and its largest overseas base in South Korea, serving as a check against a belligerent North Korea and counterweight to an aggressive China in a strategically critical region.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
The man allegedly continued to be belligerent and loud, state police said, which alarmed area residents, some of which came out of their houses.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 19 Nov. 2024
Mike seemed perfectly willing to negotiate with that crooked Nevada senator until the man got belligerent and racist and insulted Michael’s family.
—Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for belligerent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belligerent
Adjective
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Take London, which was a clear hotspot (and will continue to be, for some time): Mandarin Oriental opened its second spot in the capital, barely minutes in a limo from its existing Knightsbridge perch, while Maybourne’s soon-to-be aggressive expansion was teed up by the arrival of the sleek Emory.Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 11 Jan. 2025
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The state has been one of the most aggressive collectors of income taxes paid based on the number of workdays high earners spend there.Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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However, the ministry has not differentiated between combatants and noncombatants in its figures.Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
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That figure does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The attacker, a U.S. citizen who had proclaimed his support for the Islamic State militant group, was fatally shot in a firefight with police.Jack Brook and Sara Cline, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
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Still, many Democrats are likely to object to the measure, especially more progressive lawmakers who have raised concerns about Israel’s devastating war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, where more than 46,000 people have died.Brad Dress, The Hill, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Ewoks There may be some nostalgia for this two-season ABC series about the cute but fierce warriors from the forest moon of Endor, but Ewoks never manages to shake off its cheap 1980s Saturday morning cartoon look and format.Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2025
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While keyboard warriors were quick to question Markle's motives, experts told Fox News Digital that the delay may prove to help improve Markle's public reputation.Tracy Wright, Fox News, 14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Both saw themselves as outsiders in a hostile environment.Ruth Margalit, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
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In public, her tics are often met with stares and whispers — or at worst, hostile confrontations — from nearby strangers.Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Now the soldiers and horses have been rehearsing for months, with bands playing and cannons firing, to prepare them for the pomp and circumstance of a president’s funeral, said Maj. Wes Strickland, a spokesman for the Old Guard.John Bacon, USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025
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In May, eight soldiers were sentenced to death, and in July, 25 soldiers were convicted of similar offences.Fox News, Fox News, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Hundreds of car accidents were reported in Virginia, Indiana, Kansas and Kentucky, where a state trooper was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after his patrol car was hit.Hannah Fingerhut and Ben Finley, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
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By midday Monday, state troopers in Maryland had responded to at least 475 calls for service, including 123 reported crashes and 156 unattended vehicles since 1 a.m., Maryland State Police said on social media post.Patrick Whittle, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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After the mission was aborted, a helicopter collided with a transport aircraft, killing eight servicemen.Jonathan Alter, TIME, 29 Dec. 2024
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In the process of aborting the plan because of operational difficulties, a U.S. helicopter crashed into a transport plane at the desert staging area, killing eight servicemen.Marty Steinberg, CNBC, 29 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near belligerent
Cite this Entry
“Belligerent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belligerent. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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