militancy

Sometimes mil·i·tant·ness

[mil-i-tuhn-see]

noun

1. aggressive activism or combativeness in supporting or agitating for a cause.

   Many labor experts credit the early militancy of the Industrial Workers of the World as leading to the eight-hour work day.

2. the act of engaging or readiness to engage in war or armed aggression.

   In September 1914, Planck signed the "Manifesto of 93 German intellectuals to the civilized world" in support of the growing militancy of Germany.

Other Word Forms

• hypermilitantcy noun
• nonmilitancy noun
• supermilitancy noun
• ultramilitancy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of militancy¹

milit(ant) ( def. ) + -ancy ( def. )

Example Sentences

In this nerve-racking thriller that so often mirrors our real world, militancy’s intense volume is futile when it falls on deaf ears.

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See trucking company Yellow Corp., which filed for bankruptcy in 2023 in part owing to Mr. O’Brien’s labor militancy.

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Six years later, that rare, decisive victory over militancy is being eroded.

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"It's a very clear demonstration that there's a surge in militancy and that involves a very significant number of people. The government is under pressure and I think it's nervous."

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The two were married for more than 30 years, sharing a life of political militancy, imprisonment, and governance.

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