truculence

[ truhk-yuh-luhns, troo-kyuh- ]
See synonyms for truculence on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the quality or attitude of being aggressively hostile; belligerence: The clash has ominously deepened truculence on both sides over ongoing territorial disputes.The new recruits both appear to have the requisite size, speed, and truculence which their coach demands from his forwards.

  2. the quality or condition of being barbarous, cruel, or brutally harsh: Not only did the dictator manage to stay in power, but his truculence and brutality remained intact.

Origin of truculence

1
First recorded in 1720–30; from Latin truculentia “savageness”; see truculent, -ence
  • Sometimes truc·u·len·cy [truhk-yuh-luhn-see, troo-kyuh-] /ˈtrʌk yə lən si, ˈtru kyə-/ .

Words Nearby truculence

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use truculence in a sentence

  • "I've got to go back to Hampton," repeated Ditmar, with a suggestion of truculence that took his friend aback.

  • The earlier Reviewers were discreditably savage on women-writers, and Lady Morgan had her share of their truculence.

    The English Novel | George Saintsbury