belligerent
Americanadjective
-
warlike; given to waging war.
-
of warlike character; aggressively hostile; bellicose.
a belligerent tone.
- Synonyms:
- contentious, antagonistic, quarrelsome, combative, truculent, pugnacious
-
waging war; engaged in war.
a peace treaty between belligerent powers.
-
pertaining to war or to those engaged in war.
belligerent rights.
noun
-
belligerents
plural
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a state or nation at war.
-
a member of the military forces of such a state.
adjective
-
marked by readiness to fight or argue; aggressive
a belligerent tone
-
relating to or engaged in a legally recognized war or warfare
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of belligerent
First recorded in 1570–80; earlier belligerant, from Latin belligerant-, stem of belligerāns “waging war,” present participle of belligerāre “to wage war,” verb derivative of belliger “warlike,” from belli- (combining form of bellum, earlier duellum “war”; cf. duel ( def. )) + ger(ere) “to carry, conduct, display”
Explanation
If someone is belligerent, they're eager to fight. It's a good idea to avoid hardcore hockey fans after their team loses — they tend to be belligerent. Belligerent comes from the Latin word bellum, for "war." You can use it to talk about actual wars — the nations taking part in a war are called belligerents — but usually belligerent describes a psychological disposition. If you're running a school for aggressive boys, do plenty of arts and crafts to prevent them from becoming too belligerent. The stress is on the second syllable: bə-LIJ-ə-rənt.
Vocabulary lists containing belligerent
List 3
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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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.
See Examples For:
"This aspect needs to be managed. If North Korea acts in a provocative and belligerent manner, it could trigger regional conflict, which could run counter to China's interests," Hong said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
The scientists watching this schism aren’t sure why things became so belligerent.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2026
But Linda is the belligerent role model for everyone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
As Scotland's most belligerent ball carrier, it would enhance their chances if he is physically able to make an impact.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2026
To the Soviet leadership, put on the defensive by Reagan's belligerent rhetoric and by the suspicious information collected by Operation RYaN, the maneuvers seemed terrifyingly real.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
If it’s axiomatic that war never goes the way belligerents expect it to, the last great battle in the Revolution is the exception that proves the rule.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Perhaps the belligerents realized that attacking this critical infrastructure threatened to create a catastrophic humanitarian disaster.
From Salon ● Mar. 17, 2026
"Canada reaffirms that international law binds all belligerents," he said.
From Barron's ● Mar. 3, 2026
The belligerents are the last survivors of Syria’s hugely destructive civil war, which began in 2011 as another Arab Spring revolution, with antigovernment protesters demanding Assad leave.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 4, 2024
The facts were clear to all belligerents: the final conquest would come from the sky.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
