belligerent
gb/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt/ us/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt/
C1
Inglese
Accezioni
0 accezioni
adjective
C1
property
1
hostile and ready to argue
angry and wanting to fight or argue
Schema d'uso:
belligerent (toward) [someone]/(about) [something]
Errore comune:
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."
Sinonimi
aggressive (More general; not always openly hostile.)
|
hostile (Emphasizes unfriendly feelings; less about readiness to fight.)
|
combative (Highlights arguing and confrontation.)
Contrari
peaceful (Not inclined to conflict or fighting.)
|
calm (Not angry or confrontational in manner.)
|
conciliatory (Actively trying to make peace or reach agreement.)
Collocazioni
belligerent attitude
|belligerent behavior
|belligerent manner
|belligerent tone
|belligerent remarks
|belligerent language
|belligerent response
|grow belligerent
|become belligerent
|increasingly belligerent
Temi
emotions
|conflict
|communication
Esempi
- 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.
Esempi per chi studia
- The customer was belligerent and rude.
- Please don’t be belligerent; let’s talk calmly.
Sostantivo
C1
role
2
a hostile, aggressive person
a person who wants to fight or argue
Schema d'uso:
a belligerent; belligerents
Errore comune:
Don’t confuse the noun *a belligerent* (a person) with the adjective *belligerent* (describing someone or something).
Sinonimi
troublemaker (More general; not necessarily aggressive.)
|
bully (Emphasizes intimidation of weaker people.)
|
agitator (Often political; focuses on stirring others up.)
Contrari
peacemaker (A person who tries to reduce conflict.)
|
mediator (Someone who helps others reach agreement.)
Collocazioni
drunken belligerent
|angry belligerent
|deal with belligerents
|a belligerent in the crowd
|remove a belligerent
|confront a belligerent
Temi
people
|conflict
|daily_life
Esempi
- 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.
Esempi per chi studia
- A belligerent started shouting at the cashier.
adjective
formal
C1
state
3
at war; in armed conflict
in a war or fighting
Schema d'uso:
belligerent [country/group]; belligerent forces
Errore comune:
In this sense, *belligerent* means "taking part in a war," not "angry"—context (countries, forces, conflict) usually makes the meaning clear.
Sinonimi
warring (More common and less formal.)
|
at war (Plain, everyday phrasing.)
Contrari
neutral (Not taking sides in the conflict.)
|
nonbelligerent (Not engaged in the fighting (more formal).)
Collocazioni
belligerent countries
|belligerent states
|belligerent forces
|belligerent powers
|belligerent nations
|belligerent factions
|belligerent sides
Temi
politics
|history
|law
|international_relations
Esempi
- 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.
Esempi per chi studia
- Two belligerent countries signed a ceasefire.
Sostantivo
formal
C1
role
4
a nation or group at war
a country or group that is fighting in a war
Schema d'uso:
a belligerent; the belligerents (in/at) [conflict/war]
Errore comune:
This noun often refers to countries or armed groups (not individuals). For people, English more often says "an aggressive person" or uses the adjective.
Sinonimi
combatant (Often focuses on fighters rather than states; can be more military-specific.)
|
warring party (Clear and common phrasing; less formal than *belligerent*.)
Contrari
neutral (A state or party not participating in the war.)
|
bystander (Not involved; less suitable for international conflicts.)
Collocazioni
the belligerents
|talks between belligerents
|a belligerent in the conflict
|neutrality toward belligerents
|recognize a belligerent
|support one belligerent
Temi
politics
|history
|international_relations
|law
Esempi
- 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.
Esempi per chi studia
- The belligerents met to discuss a ceasefire.
Grammatica
Forma base
belligerent
IPA
GB/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt/
US/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt/
Sillabe e accento
bel - li - ger - ent (4 sillabe)
Stress on 2nd syllable (li)
Forme flesse
Adjective
- Base: belligerent
Noun
- Base: belligerent
- Plural: belligerents
Famiglia di parole
Forms
belligerents
noun
Core family
belligerence
noun C1
belligerently
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
nonbelligerent
adjective
Advanced or less common
belligerency
noun
Espressioni
belligerent behavior
1/bɪlˈɪd͡ʒɚənt bɪhˈeɪvjɚ/
fixed phrase
aggressive way of acting
acting in an angry, fighting way
Esempi
- 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
Esempi
- 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
Esempi
- 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
Esempi
- 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.