militant

[ mil-i-tuhnt ]

adjective

1. aggressively active or combative in support of a cause:

   militant reformers.

   Synonyms: contentious, combative, belligerent

2. engaged in warfare; fighting.

noun

1. a militant person.
2. a person engaged in warfare or combat.

militant

¹

/ ˈmɪlɪtənt /

adjective

1. aggressive or vigorous, esp in the support of a cause

   a militant protest

2. warring; engaged in warfare

noun

1. a militant person

Militant

²

/ ˈmɪlɪtənt /

noun

1. See Militant Tendency
   short for Militant Tendency
2. a member of Militant Tendency

Derived Forms

• ˈmilitancy, noun
• ˈmilitantly, adverb

Other Words From

• mil·i·tan·cy mil·i·tant·ness noun
• mil·i·tant·ly adverb
• hy·per·mil·i·tant adjective
• hy·per·mil·i·tant·ly adverb
• non·mil·i·tant adjective noun
• non·mil·i·tant·ly adverb
• su·per·mil·i·tant adjective
• ul·tra·mil·i·tant adjective
• un·mil·i·tant adjective
• un·mil·i·tant·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of militant¹

First recorded in 1400–1450; late Middle English, from Latin mīlitant- (stem of mīlitāns ), present participle of mīlitāre “to serve as a soldier”; militate, -ant

Word History and Origins

Origin of militant¹

C15: from Latin mīlitāre to be a soldier, from mīles soldier

Synonym Study

See fanatic.

Example Sentences

One of my professors asked me to write an article about young men who come from well-off families and are mostly well-educated, but who leave their studies and join the militants.

From Ozy

It was suspected he had joined the Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit.

From Ozy

It turned out that security personnel had shot dead two suspected militants in downtown Srinagar, and the government had turned off all connectivity to prevent the news from circulating and protesters from gathering.

From MIT Technology Review

At the end of a 20-hour operation in Chewa Ullar village in south Kashmir on June 26, three militants lay dead.

From Ozy

Cases were concentrated in the North Kivu and Ituri Provinces, and health officials struggled against militant groups and misinformation to contain the virus.

From Science News

But the enemy of the new emirs is neither the Jew nor the Christian, it is the godless militant defending secularism.

From The Daily Beast

At least one child in CAR has been killed or gravely injured per day, and 10,000 have been recruited into militant groups.

From The Daily Beast

This led to the formation of a Christian militant group to counter the rebels, and all-out sectarian violence exploded.

From The Daily Beast

Among those claimed dead is Abu Muslim al-Turkmani, the most senior militant leader slain this year.

From The Daily Beast

Better, she says, to use local Muslim leaders and others in civil society to criticize militant arguments.

From The Daily Beast

Daphne was still erect, self-confident, militant; whereas Madeleine knew herself vanquished—vanquished both in body and soul.

From Project Gutenberg

His policy, formerly in the main a conciliatory one, now became militant.

From Project Gutenberg

Nothing could have been more militant than her denunciation of militancy.

From Project Gutenberg

Gus gazed calmly at the five militant youths in front of him.

From Project Gutenberg

They will always remember that thou wert their faithful mother, their robust nurse, and their church militant.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• assertive
• bellicose
• belligerent
• militaristic
• vigorous
• warring