belligerent Definition
bel·lig·er·ent (bə lij′ər ənt)
adjective
- at war; designating or of a state recognized under international law as being engaged in a war
- of war; of fighting
- seeking war; warlike
- showing a readiness to fight or quarrel a belligerent gesture or tone
Etymology: L belligerans, prp. of belligerare, to wage war < bellum, war (see bellicose) + gerere, to carry on
noun
a belligerent person, group, or nation
belligerent Related Forms
belligerent Synonyms
belligerent
modif.
belligerent implies engagement in war or fighting or in actions that are likely to provoke fighting belligerent nations; bellicose implies a warlike or hostile nature, suggesting a readiness to fight a bellicose mood; pugnacious and quarrelsome both connote aggressiveness and a willingness to initiate a fight, but quarrelsome more often suggests pettiness and eagerness to fight for little or no reason; contentious suggests an inclination to argue or quarrel, usually with annoying persistence
belligerent Usage Examples
Converse of object
- allow: Identify the terrain that allows all belligerents equal access to the peacekeepers.
- become: His game had faltered at crucial moments, his attitude was becoming belligerent and his domestic life had imploded.
Adjective modifier
- other: The individual return shall be sent to the Government of the other belligerent after the conclusion of peace.
- lawful: The principle therein involved applies to guerrillas who are not lawful belligerents.
- former: Extreme restraint in both appearance and application of force is crucial to maintain a posture of impartiality and neutrality toward the former belligerents.
- major: By 1914, barbed wire was a standard item in the military defense schemes of all the major belligerents of the Great War.
- more: Peacekeeping forces are interposed between two or more belligerents.
Modifies a noun
- nationalism: They eradicated the belligerent nationalism that had haunted Europe for 100 years.
- nation: Russian nation can be rated among belligerent nations, for an example.
- occupation: Under the general rules of belligerent occupation, the occupant does not acquire any sovereignty over territory, it merely exercises de facto control.
- attitude: A belligerent attitude toward car driving becomes the catalyst for this thought provoking drama.
- noise: Incredibly belligerent noises are now coming out of the United States.
- country: The Manifesto called on the working people of the belligerent countries to take action in favor of peace.
Modifying Another Word
- increasingly: His mood turned increasingly belligerent as the conversation continued and it became clear that Dr. Whitecoat had no ready-made solutions to offer.
- quite: Mander, in contrast, had strong union ties and was quite belligerent to the other two sites.
- too: Hitchens 6 - too belligerent, an excellent reason not to vote Tory.
- very: One such patient arrived in a very belligerent mood, the appointment having been made by his wife.
- so: By the time he got back to his stand, Karsh recalled, " he looked so belligerent he could have devoured me.
- typically: Pietersen was also fortunate during a typically belligerent innings that ensured Flintoff would have a declaration to mull over.
Used with adjective complement
become: By preventing Kim Jong-il from acquiring nuclear materials before he becomes even more belligerent, perhaps we can prevent war.
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