belligerent

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The U-turn came after weeks of belligerent rhetoric and a vow to slap tariffs on eight European countries starting February 1 unless the autonomous territory was ceded to the United States.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

European states meanwhile are under pressure to expand spending on defense to counter a belligerent Russia and on healthcare for their aging populations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 30, 2025

General Assembly to deliver a belligerent and lengthy speech when the escalator he and the first lady were riding stopped abruptly, forcing them to walk the rest of the way up.

From Salon • Sep. 24, 2025

This fictional scene led to real consequences over the weekend, with many Chinese social media users taking it to be a malicious mischaracterisation of China as belligerent.

From BBC • Sep. 22, 2025

To the Soviet leadership, put on the defensive by Reagan's belligerent rhetoric and by the suspicious information collected by Operation RYaN, the maneuvers seemed terrifyingly real.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau