militant

adjective

mil·​i·​tant ˈmi-lə-tənt How to pronounce militant (audio)
Synonyms of militantnext
1
: engaged in warfare or combat : fighting
2
: aggressively active (as in a cause) : combative
militant conservationists
a militant attitude
militant noun
militantly adverb
militantness noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for militant

aggressive, militant, assertive, self-assertive mean obtrusively energetic especially in pursuing particular goals.

aggressive implies a disposition to dominate often in disregard of others' rights or in determined and energetic pursuit of one's ends.

aggressive in his business dealings

militant also implies a fighting disposition but suggests not self-seeking but devotion to a cause, movement, or principle.

militant protesters rallied against the new law

assertive suggests bold self-confidence in expression of opinion.

the more assertive speakers dominated the forum

self-assertive connotes forwardness or brash self-confidence.

a self-assertive young upstart

Examples of militant in a Sentence

an angry and militant speech political radicals with a militant unwillingness to compromise on any issue
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Israel denies allegations of genocide in its more than year-long offensive against Palestinian militant group Hamas. —Reuters, NBC News, 11 Nov. 2024 The militant group is an al Qaeda affiliate that has fought to establish an Islamic state in Somalia based on Shariah law. —CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024 Hamas kidnapped more than 200 Israelis and killed 1,200 others last Oct. 7, when the militant group's fighters overran the border with Gaza in a surprise attack. —Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024 The militant group Hezbollah, which had plenty of experience trafficking hashish, ran many of the Lebanese labs. —Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for militant 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of militant was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near militant

militancy

militant

militar

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Militant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/militant. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

militant

adjective
mil·​i·​tant ˈmil-ə-tənt How to pronounce militant (audio)
1
: being at war
2
: aggressively active especially in a cause
militant protesters
militant noun
militantly adverb
militantness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on militant

Nglish: Translation of militant for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of militant for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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