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Belligerent
Hostile and aggressive; inclined to fight or quarrel; relating to war or conflict.
adjective💡
Imagine This
Those who like to bully others usually like to argue and fight.
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Sounds Like
BELL-ih-JER-uhnt
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Looks Like
looks like 'bell' (war) + 'gerent' (bearing)
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Remember This
From Latin bellum ‘war’ and gerere ‘to bear, to carry on’; belligerence is the state or quality of being warlike.
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Other Forms
belligerencenoun
belligerentlyadverb
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Connect With
hostility, aggression, combativeness, bellicosity
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Note
Often used to describe people or nations; not used for weather. Similar to bellicose; avoid confusing with non-war contexts.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The belligerent nations refused to sign a peace treaty.
- Her belligerent attitude during the meeting made collaboration impossible.
Synonyms
aggressivecombativehostilepugnaciousbellicose
Antonyms
peacefulconciliatorycalm
Etymology
From Latin bellum ‘war’ + -gerent (bearing, waging), via French; the sense evolved to mean warlike or quarrelsome.
Mnemonic
Belligerent: think bell (war) ringing as someone who bears war; a person who is ready to fight.
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Marred
adjectiveRuined; damaged; spoiled in appearance or quality.
Indifference
nounA lack of interest, concern, or sympathy; the state of not caring about something or someone, or of showing no bias in judging a matter.
Dissolution
nounThe act or process of dissolving a substance in a solvent, or the ending or disbanding of an organization, agreement, or structure.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
Adamant
adjectiveRigid in opinion or purpose; not willing to change one's mind or position.
Adept
adjectiveHaving or showing a high level of skill or proficiency; very capable.
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