belligerent
gb/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt/ us/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt/
C1
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
adjective
C1
property
1
hostile and ready to argue
angry and wanting to fight or argue
Schéma d’usage :
belligerent (toward) [someone]/(about) [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners often use *belligerent* to mean simply "confident" or "loud"; it specifically suggests hostility or aggression. Also, "belligerent to" is less natural than "belligerent toward."
Synonymes
aggressive (More general; not always openly hostile.)
|
hostile (Emphasizes unfriendly feelings; less about readiness to fight.)
|
combative (Highlights arguing and confrontation.)
Antonymes
peaceful (Not inclined to conflict or fighting.)
|
calm (Not angry or confrontational in manner.)
|
conciliatory (Actively trying to make peace or reach agreement.)
Collocations
belligerent attitude
|belligerent behavior
|belligerent manner
|belligerent tone
|belligerent remarks
|belligerent language
|belligerent response
|grow belligerent
|become belligerent
|increasingly belligerent
Thèmes
emotions
|conflict
|communication
Exemples
- He became belligerent when the manager refused to refund him.
- Her belligerent tone made the discussion impossible to continue.
- The interview grew tense as the politician gave increasingly belligerent answers.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The customer was belligerent and rude.
- Please don’t be belligerent; let’s talk calmly.
Nom
C1
role
2
a hostile, aggressive person
a person who wants to fight or argue
Schéma d’usage :
a belligerent; belligerents
Erreur fréquente :
Don’t confuse the noun *a belligerent* (a person) with the adjective *belligerent* (describing someone or something).
Synonymes
troublemaker (More general; not necessarily aggressive.)
|
bully (Emphasizes intimidation of weaker people.)
|
agitator (Often political; focuses on stirring others up.)
Antonymes
peacemaker (A person who tries to reduce conflict.)
|
mediator (Someone who helps others reach agreement.)
Collocations
drunken belligerent
|angry belligerent
|deal with belligerents
|a belligerent in the crowd
|remove a belligerent
|confront a belligerent
Thèmes
people
|conflict
|daily_life
Exemples
- Security escorted the belligerent out of the bar.
- The staff are trained to handle belligerents without escalating the situation.
- Police separated several belligerents after the match.
Exemples pédagogiques
- A belligerent started shouting at the cashier.
adjective
formal
C1
state
3
at war; in armed conflict
in a war or fighting
Schéma d’usage :
belligerent [country/group]; belligerent forces
Erreur fréquente :
In this sense, *belligerent* means "taking part in a war," not "angry"—context (countries, forces, conflict) usually makes the meaning clear.
Synonymes
warring (More common and less formal.)
|
at war (Plain, everyday phrasing.)
Antonymes
neutral (Not taking sides in the conflict.)
|
nonbelligerent (Not engaged in the fighting (more formal).)
Collocations
belligerent countries
|belligerent states
|belligerent forces
|belligerent powers
|belligerent nations
|belligerent factions
|belligerent sides
Thèmes
politics
|history
|law
|international_relations
Exemples
- The treaty required belligerent states to withdraw their troops.
- Aid agencies struggled to reach civilians in areas controlled by belligerent forces.
- Several belligerent countries agreed to a temporary ceasefire.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Two belligerent countries signed a ceasefire.
Nom
formal
C1
role
4
a nation or group at war
a country or group that is fighting in a war
Schéma d’usage :
a belligerent; the belligerents (in/at) [conflict/war]
Erreur fréquente :
This noun often refers to countries or armed groups (not individuals). For people, English more often says "an aggressive person" or uses the adjective.
Synonymes
combatant (Often focuses on fighters rather than states; can be more military-specific.)
|
warring party (Clear and common phrasing; less formal than *belligerent*.)
Antonymes
neutral (A state or party not participating in the war.)
|
bystander (Not involved; less suitable for international conflicts.)
Collocations
the belligerents
|talks between belligerents
|a belligerent in the conflict
|neutrality toward belligerents
|recognize a belligerent
|support one belligerent
Thèmes
politics
|history
|international_relations
|law
Exemples
- Peace talks began after both belligerents agreed to send delegates.
- The agreement imposed restrictions on trade with belligerents.
- International monitors urged the belligerents to protect civilians.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The belligerents met to discuss a ceasefire.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
belligerent
API
GB/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt/
US/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt/
Syllabes et accentuation
bel - li - ger - ent (4 syllabes)
Stress on 2nd syllable (li)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: belligerent
Noun
- Base: belligerent
- Plural: belligerents
Famille de mots
Forms
belligerents
noun
Core family
belligerence
noun C1
belligerently
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
nonbelligerent
adjective
Advanced or less common
belligerency
noun
Expressions
belligerent behavior
1/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt bɪhˈeɪvjɚ/
fixed phrase
aggressive way of acting
acting in an angry, fighting way
Exemples
- The airline has a zero-tolerance policy for belligerent behavior.
- His belligerent behavior escalated after he had a few drinks.
- The teacher addressed the belligerent behavior before it spread to other students.
belligerent rhetoric
1/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt ɹˈɛtɚɪk/
fixed phrase
formal
aggressive public language
angry public language that threatens or attacks
Exemples
- Analysts warned that belligerent rhetoric could lead to escalation.
- The campaign relied on belligerent rhetoric rather than detailed policies.
- Both sides were asked to tone down their belligerent rhetoric.
belligerent stance
1/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt stˈæns/
fixed phrase
aggressive position or attitude
an attitude that is ready to fight or argue
Exemples
- The company adopted a belligerent stance toward the regulator.
- His belligerent stance in negotiations made compromise difficult.
- The editorial criticized the government’s belligerent stance on the border.
belligerent tone
1/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt tˈoʊn/
fixed phrase
hostile way of speaking
a speaking voice that sounds angry and ready to argue
Exemples
- She replied in a belligerent tone, as if she expected a fight.
- The email’s belligerent tone offended the entire team.
- Try to avoid a belligerent tone when giving feedback.