belligerence
Eagerness for conflict
Belligerence is aggressive hostility or readiness to fight.
The term describes both attitude and behavior—someone showing belligerence is looking for confrontation: His belligerence made negotiation impossible.
Nations display belligerence when they threaten or prepare for war.
The word carries more weight than mere rudeness, suggesting active combativeness rather than passive unfriendliness.
Inclination toward conflict
- pugnacityInclination to quarrel
- truculenceFierce, sullen defiance
- contentiousnessDisposition toward disagreement
- quarrelsomenessDisposition toward frequent disputes
aggressiveness · confrontation · intimidation · hostility · antagonism · ferocity · violence · brutality
Promoting or inciting warfare
- militarismPro-force national policy
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- conflictOpposition between parties
- aggressorOne who initiates conflict
offensive · campaign · warpath · hawkishness · saber-rattling · jingoism · war · battle
Active, bitter hostility
- enmityBitter, lasting ill will
- antagonismActive opposition or hostility
- resentmentPersistent bitter displeasure
- acrimonyBitter ill will
bitterness · hatred · spite · malice · ill will · rancor · antipathy · bad blood
Capacity to withstand force
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
- rebellionDefiance of established power
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
- noncomplianceFailure to follow requirements
recalcitrance · obstinacy · stubbornness · contumacy · willfulness · intractability · unruliness · mutiny
combativeness
Inclination toward conflict
- pugnacityInclination to quarrel
- truculenceFierce, sullen defiance
- contentiousnessDisposition toward disagreement
quarrelsomeness · aggressiveness · confrontation · intimidation · hostility · antagonism · ferocity · violence · brutality · savagery
warmongering
Promoting or inciting warfare
- militarismPro-force national policy
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- conflictOpposition between parties
aggressor · offensive · campaign · warpath · hawkishness · saber-rattling · jingoism · war · battle · hostilities
animosity
Active, bitter hostility
- enmityBitter, lasting ill will
- antagonismActive opposition or hostility
- resentmentPersistent bitter displeasure
acrimony · bitterness · hatred · spite · malice · ill will · rancor · antipathy · bad blood · grudge
resistance
Capacity to withstand force
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
- rebellionDefiance of established power
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
noncompliance · recalcitrance · obstinacy · stubbornness · contumacy · willfulness · intractability · unruliness · mutiny · dissent
- aggressionhostility, violence, attack, fight, combativeness
- hostilityanimosity, hostility, antagonism, malice, enmity
- intimidationthreats, threatening, menacing, intimidate, bullying
- combativenessaggression, antagonism, bellicosity, combativeness, contentiousness
- warmongeringwarmongering, warmongers, war hawks, jingoism, saber-rattling
- militancymilitancy, extremism, radicalism, fanaticism, zealotry
belligerencepeacefulness
State of quiet tranquility
pacifism · nonaggression · peace · nonviolence · conciliation
belligerencefriendliness
Warm, welcoming disposition
amiability · amicability · cordiality · geniality · affability
belligerenceconciliation
Resolving disputes through dialogue
cooperativeness · compliance · amenability · complaisance · accommodation