truculent

[ truhk-yuh-luhnt, troo-kyuh- ]

See synonyms for: truculent truculence truculency on Thesaurus.com

adjective

aggressively hostile; belligerent.
brutally harsh; vitriolic; scathing: Their truculent criticism of my latest work was not entirely fair.

savagely brutal; barbarous; cruel.

Origin of truculent

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin truculentus, equivalent to truc-, stem of trux “savage, pitiless” + -ulentus adjective suffix; see -ulent

synonym study For truculent

3. See fierce.

Opposites for truculent

3	humane, kindhearted; gentle

See antonyms for truculent on Thesaurus.com

Other words from truculent

truc·u·lence [truhk-yuh-luhns, troo-kyuh-], /ˈtrʌk yə ləns, ˈtru kyə-/, truc·u·len·cy, noun
truc·u·lent·ly, adverb

Words Nearby truculent

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use truculent in a sentence

If so, that will represent a departure from the truculent spirit of Obama and his adversaries during his first term.
President Obama’s Victory Speech: A Call to Arms | Lloyd Grove | November 7, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
And it turns out those hard-charging characteristics are exactly what is needed to tangle with the truculent contenders.
Candy Crowley, Martha Raddatz: Female Moderators Rocked the Boat in Debates | Lauren Ashburn | October 24, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
He described the men at the Lion d'Or as truculent, easily ready to take offense, difficult to persuade.
The Light That Lures | Percy Brebner
These truculent ruffians (when they have thoroughly earned a thrashing) will often accept it with most edifying docility.
The Cradle of Mankind | W.A. Wigram
They were led, as before, by the captain of the guard, and the truculent vizier Abdullah.
Jack Harkaway's Boy Tinker Among The Turks | Bracebridge Hemyng

One of the Canadians who had been in the American Navy was unusually truculent.
The Escape of a Princess Pat | George Pearson
Groups of truculent young Arabs followed us shouting objurgations, and accepting small coins as ransom.
Humanly Speaking | Samuel McChord Crothers

British Dictionary definitions for truculent

truculent

/ (ˈtrʌkjʊlənt) /

adjective

defiantly aggressive, sullen, or obstreperous
archaic savage, fierce, or harsh

Origin of truculent

C16: from Latin truculentus, from trux fierce

Derived forms of truculent

truculence or truculency, noun
truculently, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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