as in belligerent
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Recent Examples of trigger-happy
The Iranian government has long maintained a rather trigger-happy approach to censorship, to put it mildly.
—
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
On one hand, some argue that Good was attempting to leave the scene, and a trigger-happy ICE agent fired his weapon at her, an abuse of authority.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
Behind the decks, a mischievous, trigger-happy DJ Próvaí occasionally came in a beat too early, adding an air of levity to the occasion.
—Sophie Williams, Billboard, 19 Sep. 2025
As Wallace and Gromit investigate this mysterious thief, their paths cross with the cruel, trigger-happy Lord Victor Quartermaine (Ralph Fiennes), who has his own ambitions for the competition and Wallace’s love interest, Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter).
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trigger-happy
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
On one hand, some argue that Good was attempting to leave the scene, and a trigger-happy ICE agent fired his weapon at her, an abuse of authority.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
Behind the decks, a mischievous, trigger-happy DJ Próvaí occasionally came in a beat too early, adding an air of levity to the occasion.
—Sophie Williams, Billboard, 19 Sep. 2025
As Wallace and Gromit investigate this mysterious thief, their paths cross with the cruel, trigger-happy Lord Victor Quartermaine (Ralph Fiennes), who has his own ambitions for the competition and Wallace’s love interest, Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter).
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trigger-happy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trigger-happy
Adjective
-
Never has the United States had a secretary of defense less capable, more egregiously belligerent, or less suited to provide civilian direction of a war than Pete Hegseth.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
-
If anything, the regime is more defiant, belligerent, and brazen, determined to prevail at any cost.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The critics are not kind to him in either performance, but Scorsese is impressed with his work ethic and pugnacious attitude.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The flag-waving, the face paint, the pugnacious songs, the banners, the bellicose taunts at the opponents, the arms flung out in unison foster a collective spirit that can turn violent at times.—
Ian Buruma,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s bellicose and vengeful rhetoric describing the military’s war in Iran grew out of his experience in Iraq.—
Patricia Cohen Michael Crowley John Ismay David M. Halbfinger,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Within the first few weeks of his administration, President Joe Biden launched a reset with the Houthis and pressured the Saudis to end the war against the bellicose Houthi movement.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Your 9th House of Mental Growth takes the spotlight as the empathetic Moon fusses over combative Mars.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
She was fired by Trump following a series of combative congressional hearings, in which she was questioned about the agency's aggressive immigration enforcement actions, which culminated in the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Ludwig’s distant paternal ancestors were in fact German Jewish merchants, not warlike princes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
-
To many Chicagoans, the warlike atmosphere is the result of the increasing aggression of the federal government.—
Geraldo Cadava,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Brvenik, 44, was diagnosed in 2024 with leiomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Your sense of self takes the lead as the Moon, presently in your sign, opposes aggressive Mars across your partnership zone.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In Lebanon, where Israel has started an invasion in the south while targeting the Hezbollah militant group, officials said more than 1,100 people have been killed in the country since the start of the war.—
Sam Metz,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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He was killed in southern Lebanon, a stronghold of the militant group Hezbollah, as Israel expands an invasion there.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The pushback is largely coming from Democrats and illustrates the challenges Musk’s collection of companies are receiving as the famously impulsive and truculent multi-billionaire has turned himself into a political lightning rod.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Netflix co-CEO was asked about Trump’s truculent order during a wide-ranging interview which dug into the platform’s battle to acquire Warner Bros Discovery in the face of a hostile counter bid by Paramount Skydance as well as the streamer’s place in the UK film and TV landscape.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trigger-happy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trigger-happy. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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