sabre-rattling
Britishnoun
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament who led Tehran's delegation in Islamabad, sounded unfazed by Trump's sabre-rattling in a statement upon his return home.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
“Geographically, New Zealand is far from the war in Europe, the tinder-box that is the Middle East, the sabre-rattling in the South China Sea, and the domestic politics in the U.S.A.,”
From Barron's • Oct. 15, 2025
Tanks pounded targets and fighter jets roared overhead on Wednesday as Taiwan's military carried out its latest combat drills after weeks of sabre-rattling by giant neighbour China.
From Reuters • Sep. 7, 2022
In his view, today’s extraordinary nuclear challenges — deteriorating arsenals, ongoing proliferation and the rebirth of sabre-rattling nuclear diplomacy — were preventable.
From Nature • Oct. 14, 2018
The openly expressed longing for war often degenerates into vain boasting and ludicrous sabre-rattling.
From Gems (?) of German Thought by Archer, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
