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
Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025
The driver pulled out a gun and fired six shots, the witness said, hitting not only the belligerent passenger but also an uninvolved man sitting nearby.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2025
The bomb earned the captain MVP chants and a curtain call from a belligerent crowd.
—Gary Phillips, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2025
Who knows; Trump’s expansive use of tariffs and belligerent treatment of American allies overseas may yet reopen fissures with elements of the center-right that bedeviled the president in his first term and helped sink his 2020 reelection bid.
—David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for belligerent
Adjective
The Houthis are what one veteran Yemen-watcher calls the honey badgers of resistance, referring to the belligerent mammal known for its fearless attitude toward predators.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025
The driver pulled out a gun and fired six shots, the witness said, hitting not only the belligerent passenger but also an uninvolved man sitting nearby.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2025
The bomb earned the captain MVP chants and a curtain call from a belligerent crowd.
—Gary Phillips, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2025
Who knows; Trump’s expansive use of tariffs and belligerent treatment of American allies overseas may yet reopen fissures with elements of the center-right that bedeviled the president in his first term and helped sink his 2020 reelection bid.
—David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for belligerent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belligerent
Adjective
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Young has struggled against the Heat’s aggressive defense in recent years.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
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The prison has become a symbol of Bukele's aggressive policies that have targeted gang violence.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Israel’s offensive has since killed more 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2025
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Israel's offensive has since killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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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For decades, several domestic militant groups, demanding either independence for Kashmir or for the area to become part of Pakistan, have fought Indian security forces, leaving tens of thousands killed in the violence.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Fans of horror, science fiction, fantasy, romance and young adult novels will feel right at home, surrounded by book covers illustrating warriors, dragons, monsters and magical lands.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Apr. 2025
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Users can personalize the prompt by describing features, aesthetic or desired theme—such as space explorer, fantasy warrior or tech ninja.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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John Shine described to me a research trip to the hostile mountain environs of Tasmania, where snakes stay under cover except for the 20 or 30 warm days each year.—
Stephen S. Hall,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
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Union members shared other experiences and stories, including those of an increasingly hostile work environment for some.—
Molly Guthrey,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Just outside our car, soldiers beat down the door of a house and piled in.—
Antón Barba-Kay,
The Atlantic,
26 Apr. 2025
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Many of these efforts were a partnership between enlisted soldiers in Unit 8200 and reserve soldiers who work at tech companies such as Google, Microsoft and Meta, three people with knowledge of the technologies said.—
Sheera Frenkel,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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That same day, Proctor, the state trooper, was relieved of duty, state police Col. John Mawn announced.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2025
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The agency did not address questions on why the trooper made the arrest despite William’s court order.—
Ana Ceballos,
Miami Herald,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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And having those servicemen available to help was invaluable.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2025
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That April, the Ukrainian parliament passed a law declaring that any Russian serviceman who provided Ukraine with one of Russia’s more advanced military planes would receive a million dollars.—
Joshua Yaffa,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Belligerent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belligerent. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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