belligerent
26
7.5
- adjective
- /bəˈlɪdʒərənt/
:
beligerante
- Though normally of a sunny disposition, young Richard could turn belligerent on occasion.
- belligerent and hostile
- belligerent and aggressive
- belligerent attitude
I mean, that is a belligerent attitude.
- I mean, that is a belligerent attitude.
- And Sona, you are still loud, belligerent.
- They are the cop letting the belligerent drunk see just the tip of the gun.
- So when you are more belligerent, then then, then the influence operations to get harder.
- It's, it's driven by, I always say the belligerent nature of, of men because my father is the grandson of Leontroski.
Examples
-
Molly folded her arms beneath her breasts and regarded him with a belligerent challenge.
Fiction book (1997) -
The belligerent driver yelled at the other cars in a fit of road rage.
-
We're becoming more belligerent in our talk with them, and so are they with us.
-
Very often, such students appear in my office in a belligerent state of mind.
Academic text (2003) -
I mean, that is a belligerent attitude.
-
I find him rather belligerent!
-
The British will think the Chinese are being belligerent.
-
I found these to be the most arrogant, belligerent, unapologetic group of people I had ever seen in my life.
-
Advancing our cause doesn't mean you have to be belligerent with everyone who disagrees with you.
-
Indeed, if the intent of sanctions is peaceful rather than belligerent, then the usual justifications in warfare are unavailable.
Academic text (1999)
Synonyms
311
3.7
Behaving in a hostile way and ready to attack or argue
36
7.0
Showing anger and wanting to argue with others
31
6.1
Being ready to argue or fight
22
5.3
Often likes to disagree with other people
9
8.6
Gets angry easily and often argues with people
7
8.8
Showing a wish to argue or fight
4
8.8
Quick to argue or fight, often over small things
3
7.8
Likely to argue or fight with other people
3
9.8
Quick to argue or fight and often angry
Antonyms
How Hostile
- Formal
3
9.8
4
8.8
26
7.5
311
3.7
194
4.6
22
1.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
belligerent = belliger + ent
The element 'belliger' is not a standalone English word and the adjective is a direct borrowing from Latin-derived formation, so its meaning is not transparently inferable by an average B1 learner from familiar English morphemes.
Etymology
Belligerent comes from the Latin words bellum 'war' and gerere 'to carry' or 'to wage'. So, calling a person belligerent is like saying they act as if they are 'waging war'—they are hostile or eager to argue.