Truculent is a word that many find confusing. We will examine the definition of the word truculent, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.
Truculent means belligerent, quick to engage in a fight, ferocious, savage, aggressive. Truculent is most often used to describe the most aggressive or deadly type of person such as a tyrant, or the most deadly type of thing, such as a particularly virulent disease. It is sometimes seen describing someone who is simply surly or assertive, or describing writings that are critical of their subjects, but this is a slight misuse of the word truculent. Related words are truculence, truculently. The word truculent is derived from the Latin word truculentus which means fierce, cruel, savage.
Examples
Truculent, anti-immigrant nationalism; disdain for the “deep state”; disparaging democratic allies while celebrating dictators: These are now the pillars of President Donald Trump’s rule. (The Salt Lake Tribune)
Nobody knows which president will show up — the truculent one railing about inadequate military spending by the allies or the boastful one taking credit for recent spending increases. (The New York Times)
Also, I knew that I needed to raise some serious issues with Hamilton – namely the social media debacle around his nephew, which happened at Christmas time – and I’d heard that he has a tendency to be truculent with the press. (GQ Magazine)
The president insists that he is prepared to storm out of the summit if Kim proves truculent, according to officials who spoke with Bloomberg. (New York Magazine)
Mix in worries about the economic and market fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s truculent trade tactics, tightening monetary policies, slowing global growth and political instability in some key European markets, and you have a recipe for rising volatility and deepening uncertainty. (The Globe and Mail)