Belligerence
/bəˈlɪdʒərəns/
nounC1
Definition
Belligerence is the quality of being hostile, aggressive, or ready to fight. It describes when someone acts in a way that shows anger and a desire to argue or cause conflict. This word is often used to talk about people, groups, or countries that are aggressive or unfriendly.
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⚡ See It in Action
Hostile or aggressive behavior or attitude
- •His belligerence made it hard for others to work with him.
- •The belligerence between the two countries increased tensions.
- •She spoke with belligerence when angry about the decision.
The state of being ready to fight or argue
- •The belligerence of the players led to a fight on the field.
- •Belligerence in negotiations often stops peaceful solutions.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "belligerence" like "anger" (A1 word), but much stronger and active—it’s not just feeling mad but showing it by being ready to fight or argue.
- ✓Picture a person with a loud voice, clenched fists, and a hard face, ready to start a fight or argument.
- ✓It’s the feeling you get when someone keeps pushing you and doesn’t want peace.
- ✓Sounds like "bell-AGGRESS-ence" → imagine a bell ringing loudly to warn of a fight about to start.
- ✓Think of stories or movies where two characters are in a tense argument, refusing to calm down and ready to fight.
- ✓NOT like "anger" (which can be quiet or inside), belligerence is open and aggressive behavior.
- ✓NOT like "peace" or "calm," belligerence is the opposite—ready for conflict.
- ✓NOT like "disagreement" (which can be calm), belligerence shows strong fighting attitude.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Hostility: unfriendly or angry feelings (Use when focusing on unfriendly attitude, less about fighting readiness)
- •Aggression: forceful or attacking behavior (Use when the action of attacking is clear)
- •Combativeness: readiness to fight or argue (Use in formal or serious contexts about willingness to fight)
- •Antagonism: active opposition or dislike (Use when emphasizing conflict or opposition)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "belliger-" (from Latin "bellum" meaning war) + suffix "-ence" (a noun ending showing a state or quality)
- •Etymology: From Latin "belligerentia," meaning warlike or fighting attitude
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s to describe warlike or aggressive behavior, originally about countries but now also about people
- •Modern usage: Used to describe aggressive or hostile attitudes in personal, social, or political contexts
- •Key insight: The root "bellum" means war, so belligerence means acting like you are ready for war or fight
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How can belligerence affect relationships between people or countries?
•Can belligerence ever be helpful, or is it always a problem? When might it be useful?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The politician’s belligerence ___ the peaceful talks and made negotiations difficult.
2.When someone shows belligerence, they often feel ___ but also want to prove they are strong.
3.Belligerence is different from simple disagreement because it shows a ___ attitude, not calm discussion.
4.In sports, players sometimes show belligerence by ___ their opponents or refusing to listen to referees.
5.Belligerence often comes ___ anger but leads to more serious conflict or fights.
6.The belligerence of the two countries made the world fear ___.
7.When a person shows belligerence, they usually ___ ready to argue or fight rather than find peace.