belligerency

American  

[buh-lij-er-uhn-see] / bəˈlɪdʒ ər ən si /

noun

1. the position or status as a belligerent; state of being actually engaged in war.

2. belligerence.

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belligerency British  

/ bɪˈlɪdʒərənsɪ /

noun

1. the state of being at war

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Etymology

Origin of belligerency

First recorded in 1860–65; belliger(ent) + -ency

Example Sentences

"We do want to have the region come to terms between all the countries and agree against any belligerency from any side to any other."

From Reuters • Nov. 5, 2022

Since Japan did not formally declare war on China, a state of belligerency did not technically exist.

From Textbooks • Dec. 30, 2014

Whether it works or not, it shows how much the nature of modern belligerency is changing.

From Economist • Oct. 12, 2011

But those gains risk being overtaken by China’s rapidly worsening relations with its neighbors and escalating belligerency from North Korea.

From Washington Post

The impending belligerency of certain of the neutrals would, it was reasonably believed, turn the scales in favour of Britain, France and Russia.

From England and Germany by Hughes, William Morris