Choose the correct antonym for the underlined word in the following sentence:-
The belligerent nation refused to negotiate and continued its aggressive actions towards the neighboring nation.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → un-contentious
Belligerent means hostile and eager to fight or argue. In the sentence, the nation refused to negotiate and continued its aggressive actions. Its antonym is un-contentious.
Example: The belligerent customer kept shouting at the shopkeeper.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) unfriendly | not kind or pleasant towards others (close in meaning to belligerent, not opposite) | The new neighbours seemed unfriendly at first. |
| (2) clever | quick to learn and understand (not related to fighting or peace) | The clever boy solved the puzzle in minutes. |
| (3) truculent | eager to argue or fight, aggressive (a synonym of belligerent) | The truculent player argued with the umpire over every decision. |
| (4) un-contentious (answer) | not likely to cause argument or quarrel, peaceable (contentious means quarrelsome, so un-contentious is its opposite) | The meeting stayed calm because the topics were un-contentious. |
| Synonyms of belligerent: truculent, hostile, aggressive, combative Antonyms of belligerent: un-contentious, peaceable, conciliatory, friendly Also asked in CUET (UG): belligerent – 14-05-2026 Slot 2, 14-05-2026 Slot 1, 11-05-2026 Slot 1, 27-05-2025 Slot 1, 23-05-2025 Slot 1, 15-06-2023 Slot 3 truculent – 19-05-2025 Slot 1 |