belligerence

[buh-lij-er-uhns]

noun

1. a warlike or aggressively hostile nature, condition, or attitude.

2. an act of carrying on war; warfare.

belligerence

/ bɪˈlɪdʒərəns /

noun

1. the act or quality of being belligerent or warlike; aggressiveness

Word History and Origins

Origin of belligerence¹

First recorded in 1805–15; belliger(ent) + -ence

Example Sentences

Under international law, none of these three steps would constitute escalated belligerence.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

China’s military buildup and belligerence continue unabated, and there is growing speculation that it may try to seize Taiwan by 2027.

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As things heat up, a few have taken the belligerence offline too.

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As in, they'll be so desperate to keep the series alive in Melbourne on Saturday they'll metamorphose into a team of belligerence and belief - a band of brothers who will blow the Lions away.

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Through his belligerence, Yoon has turned himself into a political martyr for many – the victim of an establishment that has been overrun by "communists".

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Related Words

• aggressiveness www.thesaurus.com
• antagonism