militant
adjective
aggressively active or combative in support of a cause.
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militant
American
[mil-i-tuhnt]
/ ˈmɪl ɪ tənt /
adjective
-
aggressively active or combative in support of a cause.
militant reformers.
- Synonyms:
- contentious, combative, belligerent
-
engaged in warfare; fighting.
noun
-
a militant person.
-
a person engaged in warfare or combat.
militant
1
British
/ ˈmɪlɪtənt /
adjective
-
aggressive or vigorous, esp in the support of a cause
a militant protest
-
warring; engaged in warfare
noun
Militant
2
British
/ ˈmɪlɪtənt /
noun
-
short for Militant Tendency
-
a member of Militant Tendency
Related Words
See fanatic.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of militant
First recorded in 1400–1450; late Middle English, from Latin mīlitant- (stem of mīlitāns ), present participle of mīlitāre “to serve as a soldier”; see militate, -ant
Explanation
A militant is someone who is engaged in a war or who acts aggressively for their cause. If you are militant in your beliefs, you do not question them any more than a soldier questions his orders. In the context of undeclared or guerrilla warfare, enemy fighters are often referred to not as soldiers but as militants, because they are not members of a formal army. As an adjective, militant often has a negative feel — people on one side of a debate will often try to cast those on the other side as militants.
Vocabulary lists containing militant
Fighting Words: Belli and Milit
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "M"
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
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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.
In 2017, a confidant of Pope Francis singled out Church Militant for criticism.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 21, 2023
The article on its website mentions America Needs Fatima, Catholic Vote and Church Militant as some of the fellow organizers for the event.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2023
Militant environmentalism is more of a hook than a subject about which the film has a point of view.
From New York Times • Apr. 6, 2023
Militant leader Tayseer Jabari was among the dead.
From BBC • Aug. 6, 2022
Until later, Gary, Your Militant Working Boy V Dr. Talc lit a Benson & Hedges, looking out of the window of his office in the Social Studies Building.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
