truculent
Americanadjective
-
aggressively hostile; belligerent.
-
brutally harsh; vitriolic; scathing.
Their truculent criticism of my latest work was not entirely fair.
-
savagely brutal; barbarous; cruel.
- Antonyms:
- gentle, kindhearted, humane
adjective
-
defiantly aggressive, sullen, or obstreperous
-
archaic savage, fierce, or harsh
Synonym Usage
See fierce.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of truculent
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin truculentus, equivalent to truc-, stem of trux “savage, pitiless” + -ulentus adjective suffix; see -ulent
Explanation
If you are quick to argue, always looking for a fight, and hard to please, you are truculent. You can also write a truculent essay, and fans upset by a loss can become truculent. This word has no connection to truck, but the similar sound is still a good way to remember it: truculent folks are like monster trucks, ready to run over anything that gets in their way. To be truculent is to be defiant, aggressive, and quarrelsome. A truculent student will get in trouble with teachers, and a truculent teacher might get fired. In a violent sport like football, it helps to be truculent, but it's usually not a great quality.
Vocabulary lists containing truculent
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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.
His schedule is littered with appointments called “executive time” or “meeting time,” as if he were a truculent child, in a Romper Room of his own making.
From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2026
In response, three British warships were sent by William Douglas, the truculent British Columbia governor, also spoiling for a fight.
From Seattle Times ● May 16, 2024
Think Anton Newcombe, the Brian Jonestown Massacre frontman and truculent protagonist of “Dig!” or Josh Harris, the dot-com futurist profiled in “We Live in Public.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2023
He describes his co-star in The Piano, the American actor Harvey Keitel, as "truculent and difficult and a bit graceless".
From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2023
And to Bran's astonishment, the truculent Umbers agreed to do as he commanded, though not without grumbling.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
