truculent

adjective

ˈtrə-kyə-lənt How to pronounce truculent (audio)
Definition of truculentnext
1
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight die-hard fans who became truculent and violent after their team's loss

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2
as in abusive
marked by harsh insulting language a theater critic who was notorious for his titanically truculent reviews

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others played the role of a disturbed and truculent villain

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of truculent The robot interpreted the command using an LLM and walked over to a corner of the office in a manner not unlike a truculent 9-year-old. — Will Knight, Wired News, 27 Jan. 2026 Even if the administration has no further military designs on the Western Hemisphere, a virtual sword of Damocles hangs over the head of truculent governments. — Richard Fontaine, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026 France is in the midst of its worst political crisis in decades as a succession of minority governments seek to push deficit-reducing budgets through a truculent legislature split into three distinct ideological blocs. — Reuters, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025 France has been mired in crisis as a series of minority governments struggle to pass deficit-reduction measures through a truculent parliament, split between three ideological blocs. — CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for truculent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for truculent
  1. aggressive
  2. abusive
  3. brutal
  4. militant
  5. insulting
  6. cruel
  7. hostile
  8. outrageous
Adjective
  • Of course, Carleton said, not every patient will want that, and people with aggressive disease may need every intense treatment, test, and appointment.
    — Allessandra DiCorato, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
  • His daughter, Stephanie, told Deadline that Carbone died August 28 of cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer.
    — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of aggressive
Adjective
  • Livia’s sister-in-law invokes the poem when Livia learns, to her surprise, that her manipulative, abusive mother had been a frustrated musician.
    — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Rating sites filled up with one-star scores, and the social media accounts of cast members drew abusive comments.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of abusive
Adjective
  • Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles is fighting for his job security after a brutal start to the season.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • There’s the brutal heat; the skin destroying UV-rays of that miserable, scorching, eye-blinding sun; the constant allergy/sinusitis issues that NEVER let up; the smothering humidity.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of brutal
Adjective
  • There was music and singing, but we were dressed in gowns and tuxedos and then did militant poetry.
    — Jeremy Rellosa, Curbed, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Abu Obaida also praised Iran for its support, as well as militant groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
    — Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of militant
Adjective
  • Some job seekers say AI interviews can feel impersonal, stilted, and downright insulting.
    — Sarah Jackson Juhohn Lee, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Even more insulting was the cold, transactional nature of the intrusion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of insulting
Adjective
  • The policy of sending them to a third country has been condemned as harsh and cruel.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Eight men were killed via gassing until an Alabama district judge ruled the execution method unconstitutionally cruel, in June; the Supreme Court has maintained the block.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • Still, her willingness to enjoy a hostile road crowd offers a useful perspective in a league where interactions with spectators have become such a consuming subject.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said the approval didn’t include hostile actions that go against international law.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of hostile
Adjective
  • In their world — virtual newsrooms, Bluesky, Threads, Instagram and sports blogs — saying that men and women possess meaningful biological differences can qualify as an outrageous offense.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • More than half a century after the film’s release, the scene is back in all its outrageous glory.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of outrageous

Browse Nearby Words

truculency
truculent
trudge
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Cite this Entry

“Truculent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/truculent. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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