saber-rattling

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Tinubu, Nigeria’s bespectacled 73-year-old leader, was shocked by the saber-rattling from one of his country’s most important partners.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 9, 2025

Whether it is saber-rattling or not, the unveiling of these retaliatory tools reinforces the countries’ desire to build up their self-reliance.

From Barron's • Oct. 24, 2025

But it’s fair to say that Reagan never indulged in outright name-calling or hateful invective, stressed his desire for negotiation over confrontation and left the nuclear saber-rattling to subordinates.

From Salon • Sep. 28, 2025

And, overall, the tone is much more contentious than during the West Coast negotiations, where there was relatively little saber-rattling and few people on either side viewed a strike as a serious threat.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2024

For all her resolute saber-rattling in these years, Germany found herself checkmated in almost every move.

From A History of Sea Power by Stevens, William Oliver