Synonyms of bellicosity

bellicosity

noun

as in aggression

an inclination to fight or quarrel

the candidate criticized her opponent's bellicosity as divisive

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aggression
• aggressiveness
• hostility
• belligerence
• defiance
• pugnacity
• belligerency
• combativeness
• militance
• militancy
• truculence
• contentiousness
• assaultiveness
• fight
• feistiness
• scrappiness
• quarrelsomeness
• disputatiousness
• antagonism
• irritability
• chip on one's shoulder
• militarism
• fierceness
• unfriendliness
• imperialism
• jingoism
• militantness
• irritableness
• petulance
• rudeness
• irascibility
• testiness
• fractiousness
• peevishness
• hyperaggressiveness
• disagreeableness
• orneriness
• querulousness
• surliness
• crankiness
• fretfulness
• crossness
• grumpiness
• grouchiness
• biliousness
• pettishness
• acidity
• huffiness
• captiousness
• waspishness
• irascibleness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pacifism
• nonaggression
• benevolence
• friendliness
• cordiality
• sociability
• geniality
• gentleness
• antimilitarism
• amiability
• affability
• graciousness
• pleasantness
• mildness
• anti-imperialism
• kindliness
• amicability
• antiaggression
• complaisance
• amenability
• placability

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bellicosity

Israel’s bellicosity in conducting a bloody regional conflict for over two years presents a challenge. — Alexander Langlois, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026

The Supreme Court’s invalidation of most Trump tariffs and the bellicosity of his response, which included the immediate imposition of new 10% tariffs across the board and the threat to increase them to 15%, have done nothing to settle investors’ nerves. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026

The beating death of ultraconservative activist Quentin Deranque in the French city of Lyon last week has pushed both the country’s far right and left flanks toward bellicosity, as both ends of the political spectrum blame the other for his death and the threat of further violence. — Rafi Schwartz, TheWeek, 20 Feb. 2026

And should Trump ramp up the bellicosity of his rhetoric once again, Greenland might even be pushed closer to China, the WoodMac analysts warned. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026

London has dispatched its Prime Minister to deescalate the bellicosity. — Philip Elliott, Time, 20 Jan. 2026

The bellicosity emanating from Washington has put the world on edge, prompting governments from Japan to Germany and Canada to increase defense spending. — Sagarika Jaisinghani, Bloomberg, 17 Jan. 2026

Trump may get away with this approach; his unpredictability, and Netanyahu’s bellicosity, will temper the mullahs’ atomic ambitions for now. — Ray Takeyh, Foreign Affairs, 4 Dec. 2025