as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
an inveterate belligerency that needs to be addressed by classes in anger management
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Recent Examples of belligerency
Contrary to former President Joe Biden, our co-belligerency is not to make Ukraine safe for democracy.
—
Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2025
Furthermore, pursuant to Additional Protocol I, Article 47(1), mercenaries do not qualify as combatants, and as such, cannot benefit from the privilege of belligerency.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 12 June 2022
The formal and informal Democratic establishment convinced itself that the country had been repelled by Trump’s belligerency in his debate with Biden.
—Conrad Black, National Review, 14 Oct. 2020
So all you're left with was this over the top belligerency of the president, which didn't go over well with people.
—NBC News, 4 Oct. 2020
Credibility requires consistency, not belligerency.
—Keren Yarhi-Milo, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2017
What Flake doesn’t get is that Trump’s culture war belligerency is the first time many GOP voters feel the party is doing something for them.
—Jonathan Tamari, Philly.com, 27 Oct. 2017
This is also the right time to demonstrate to North Korea that we will not be intimidated or blackmailed by Pyongyang's belligerency.
—chicagotribune.com, 6 Sep. 2017
Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2025
Furthermore, pursuant to Additional Protocol I, Article 47(1), mercenaries do not qualify as combatants, and as such, cannot benefit from the privilege of belligerency.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 12 June 2022
The formal and informal Democratic establishment convinced itself that the country had been repelled by Trump’s belligerency in his debate with Biden.
—Conrad Black, National Review, 14 Oct. 2020
So all you're left with was this over the top belligerency of the president, which didn't go over well with people.
—NBC News, 4 Oct. 2020
Credibility requires consistency, not belligerency.
—Keren Yarhi-Milo, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2017
What Flake doesn’t get is that Trump’s culture war belligerency is the first time many GOP voters feel the party is doing something for them.
—Jonathan Tamari, Philly.com, 27 Oct. 2017
This is also the right time to demonstrate to North Korea that we will not be intimidated or blackmailed by Pyongyang's belligerency.
—chicagotribune.com, 6 Sep. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belligerency
Noun
-
For her, this was practically homicidal aggression.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
-
Race, bad bosses and the fly-on-the-wall fun of watching office politics and micro-aggressions play out makes this workplace suspense novel a total page-turner (as well as a binge-worthy limited television series).—
Laura Zigman,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Some Trump-boosting podcasters and influencers cheered the FCC’s aggressiveness on Tuesday.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Not long into his second term, Bush sat uncomfortably as Stephen Colbert, then a Comedy Central host, hammered him with an aggressiveness unusual for the dinner.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But the chancellor struggled to imagine how such an end of hostilities could be reached that would satisfy the White House.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The hostility to literature felt by some of the architects of the Red Scare is well established.—
Charlie Tyson,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belligerency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belligerency. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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