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Don't War Over the Meaning of Bellicose
Since bellicose describes an attitude that hopes for actual war, the word is generally applied to nations and their leaders. In the 20th century, it was commonly used to describe such figures as Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm, Italy's Benito Mussolini, and Japan's General Tojo, leaders who believed their countries had everything to gain by starting wars. The international relations of a nation with a bellicose foreign policy tend to be stormy and difficult, and bellicosity usually makes the rest of the world very uneasy.
Synonyms
belligerent, bellicose, pugnacious, quarrelsome, contentious mean having an aggressive or fighting attitude.
belligerent often implies being actually at war or engaged in hostilities.
bellicose suggests a disposition to fight.
pugnacious suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat.
quarrelsome stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause.
contentious implies perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling.
Examples of bellicose in a Sentence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bellicose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Middle English, from Latin bellicosus, from bellicus of war, from bellum war
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near bellicose
Cite this Entry
“Bellicose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bellicose. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
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