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belligerent Definition

bel·lig·er·ent (bə lij′ər ənt)

adjective

  1. at war; designating or of a state recognized under international law as being engaged in a war
  2. of war; of fighting
  3. seeking war; warlike
  4. 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

bel·lig′·er·ently adverb

belligerent Synonyms

belligerent

modif.

warlike, pugnacious, hostile, quarrelsome, contentious, bellicose, warring, militant, martial, warmongering, hawkish, combative, truculent, antagonistic, aggressive, full of fight*; see also aggressive 2, quarrelsome 1.

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.