as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
the candidate criticized her opponent's bellicosity as divisive
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Recent Examples of bellicosity
And should Trump ramp up the bellicosity of his rhetoric once again, Greenland might even be pushed closer to China, the WoodMac analysts warned.
—
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
London has dispatched its Prime Minister to deescalate the bellicosity.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 20 Jan. 2026
Trump may get away with this approach; his unpredictability, and Netanyahu’s bellicosity, will temper the mullahs’ atomic ambitions for now.
—Ray Takeyh, Foreign Affairs, 4 Dec. 2025
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
London has dispatched its Prime Minister to deescalate the bellicosity.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 20 Jan. 2026
Trump may get away with this approach; his unpredictability, and Netanyahu’s bellicosity, will temper the mullahs’ atomic ambitions for now.
—Ray Takeyh, Foreign Affairs, 4 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bellicosity
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
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Way, meanwhile, enjoys watching Katie’s aggressiveness.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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Errington has an endearing likability and a sense of mischief, but more aggressiveness and overconfidence would better suit the character.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Bellicosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bellicosity. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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