bellicose
Eager for conflict
Bellicose means eager to fight or inclined toward aggression.
The word describes people, nations, or attitudes that seem to welcome conflict: bellicose rhetoric, a bellicose foreign policy.
Someone bellicose isn't just angry—they're spoiling for a fight.
Actively opposed or hostile
- truculentAggressively hostile disposition
- contentiousInclined toward disagreement
- confrontationalInclined toward hostile encounters
- quarrelsomeInclined to dispute
hostile · defiant · provocative · argumentative · disputatious · cantankerous · irascible · warmongering
Excessively focused on warfare
- martialRelating to warfare
- warmongeringPromoting or inciting warfare
- hawkishFavoring aggressive action
- sabre-rattlingThreatening military action loudly
jingoistic · warring · combatant · militant · aggressive · hostile · invasion · conquest
Tending to provoke outrage
- incendiaryCausing or designed for burning
- provocativeMeant to provoke response
- fieryIntensely hot or passionate
- stridentHarsh and piercing
bombastic · saber-rattling · chest-thumping · warmongering · jingoistic · hawkish · bluster · bravado
Conveying threat or danger
- threateningExpressing intent to harm
- fearsomeCausing intense alarm
- formidableInspiring fear or respect
- dauntingDiscouraging through difficulty
imposing · fierce · ferocious · ominous · foreboding · glowering · snarling · bristling
antagonistic
Actively opposed or hostile
- truculentAggressively hostile disposition
- contentiousInclined toward disagreement
- confrontationalInclined toward hostile encounters
quarrelsome · hostile · defiant · provocative · argumentative · disputatious · cantankerous · irascible · warmongering · saber-rattling
militaristic
Excessively focused on warfare
- martialRelating to warfare
- warmongeringPromoting or inciting warfare
- hawkishFavoring aggressive action
sabre-rattling · jingoistic · warring · combatant · militant · aggressive · hostile · invasion · conquest · warfare
inflammatory
Tending to provoke outrage
- incendiaryCausing or designed for burning
- provocativeMeant to provoke response
- fieryIntensely hot or passionate
strident · bombastic · saber-rattling · chest-thumping · warmongering · jingoistic · hawkish · bluster · bravado · diatribe
menacing
Conveying threat or danger
- threateningExpressing intent to harm
- fearsomeCausing intense alarm
- formidableInspiring fear or respect
daunting · imposing · fierce · ferocious · ominous · foreboding · glowering · snarling · bristling · swaggering
bellicosepeaceful
Free from disturbance
peaceable · pacific · pacifistic · nonbelligerent · nonaggressive