belligerent
Spoiling for conflict
Though it is often used to talk about individuals (a belligerent drunk), belligerent is more accurately applied to groups and countries because it is related to the idea of war: a belligerent country is either at war, advocating war, or acting aggressively so as to provoke a war.
Transferred to an individual, belligerent means aggressive or combative.
The adjective bellicose is related to belligerent and has a similar meaning.
Actively opposed or hostile
- aggressiveHostile and confrontational
- combativeInclined toward conflict
- pugnaciousInclined to quarrel
- truculentAggressively hostile disposition
contentious · quarrelsome · adversarial · confrontational · militant · warlike · provocative · acrimonious
One who enters aggressively
- attackerOne who strikes first
- assailantOne who attacks another
- antagonistOne who opposes another
- instigatorOne who provokes action
provoker · bully · oppressor · warmonger · aggression · occupier · expansionist · imperialist
Heated verbal dispute
- disputeVerbal clash over differences
- quarrelAngry verbal dispute
- argumentReasoned case or dispute
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
conflict · strife · discord · friction · feud · squabble · row · skirmish
Defying rightful authority
- obstinateFirmly refusing to yield
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
- recalcitrantStubbornly resistant to control
- resistantWithstanding external forces
stubborn · intransigent · disobedient · noncompliant · uncooperative · willful · headstrong · contrary
antagonistic
Actively opposed or hostile
- aggressiveHostile and confrontational
- combativeInclined toward conflict
- pugnaciousInclined to quarrel
truculent · contentious · quarrelsome · adversarial · confrontational · militant · warlike · provocative · acrimonious · vitriolic
invader
One who enters aggressively
- attackerOne who strikes first
- assailantOne who attacks another
- antagonistOne who opposes another
instigator · provoker · bully · oppressor · warmonger · aggression · occupier · expansionist · imperialist · provocateur
altercation
Heated verbal dispute
clash · conflict · strife · discord · friction · feud · squabble · row · skirmish · disagreement
insubordinate
Defying rightful authority
- obstinateFirmly refusing to yield
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
- recalcitrantStubbornly resistant to control
resistant · stubborn · intransigent · disobedient · noncompliant · uncooperative · willful · headstrong · contrary · mutinous
combatant
One who fights
faction · signatory · treaty · armistice · neutral · hostilities · engagement · ceasefire
- warfarebattle, combat, attack, war, armed conflict
- hostile attitudeshostile, aggressive, combative, adversarial, confrontational
- hostilityanimosity, hostility, antagonism, malice, enmity
- SAT vocabularyaesthetic, ambiguous, benevolent, candid, concise
- confrontation styleaggressive, passive, assertive, avoidant, diplomatic
- fiercebrutal, violent, savage, ferocious, fierce
belligerentpeaceful
Free from disturbance
peaceable · friendly · pacific · conciliatory · amicable
belligerentneutral
Not favoring any side
nonbelligerent · noncombatant · peaceful · pacifist · nonaligned
belligerence, nonbelligerent, belligerently, belligerents, belligerency