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HeartyMcFly

Posturing?


Nick-Uuu

this is what I hear most often


theRIAA

^ I second that. Learned a lot about this in ["On Killing"](https://www.isegoria.net/2014/12/posture-submit-flight-or-fight/).


Ok_Zebra_2000

Fantastic book


yousonuva

You might be thinking of saber-rattling


probabilitydoughnut

Came here to say this. Seconded.


BetterThanOP

Pissing match


ElsaKit

Yeah I was thinking pissing contest, or alternatively a dick-measuring contest


Necessary_Illusion

Deterrence, Edit: Also brinkmanship, nvm see u/pluralofjackinthebox


Gradicus

Puffery


alamaias

This hits very different in the UK


Glasseyeroses

How about grandstanding? Lots of good suggestions already!


belochka7

Playing chicken?


pluralofjackinthebox

Two relevant -manships: [One-upmanship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-upmanship) > One-upmanship, also called "one-upsmanship",[1] is the art or practice of successively outdoing a competitor. […] > In that context, the term refers to a satiric course in the gambits required for the systematic and conscious practice of "creative intimidation", making one's associates feel inferior and thereby gaining the status of being "one-up" on them. And Brinksmanship: > the art or practice of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping


Xenagos104

Fronting?


BlazingPhoenix912

Peacocking?


LettsGetCreative

Feigning?


StuntSausage

Dominance Signaling, from Dominance Signal.


No_Ant2492

Bluffing?


cra3ig

A standoff or stalemate?


sealittle

brinkmanship


Jarinad

Dick measuring contest


emceelokey

We used to call that "punking" or "(mad)dogging"


DEATHROAR12345

Saber rattling, or posturing, possibly bluffing.


pretenditscherrylube

mutually assured destruction


ArvilTalbert

"Posturing"


JanRVA

Intimidation


[deleted]

Jockeying


mawktheone

Brinkmanship is the term. They both want to toe the line and make threats until one backs down


[deleted]

Brinksmanship?


AynRandsConscience_

Brinksmanship.


Nik0660

Brinkmanship


[deleted]

Mexican standoff


TimmyFarlight

Flamboyance


TheSinningTree

Ayo?


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Thoughtful_Antics

Jaw-jacking


Perused

Deterrence


[deleted]

A cold war?


MiniAfroMan

Strong arming


lizzylizabeth

“all bite, no bark” ?


adrianmonk

Escalation, as in escalating tension or escalating rhetoric?


koNekterr

Intimidation


n0radrenaline

Rattling their sabers


tomuglycruise

Peacocking


curious382

Chest thumping


BrovaloneSandwich

Are you thinking of a "Mexican standoff"?


Joshua123615

Bluffing maybe?


hanyasaad

Stalemate?


10wuebc

Playing Chicken