militarism
Americannoun
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military spirit; pursuit of military ideals
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domination by the military in the formulation of policies, ideals, etc, esp on a political level
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a policy of maintaining a strong military organization in aggressive preparedness for war
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of militarism
1860–65; < French militarisme, equivalent to militar- (< Latin mīlitār ( is ) military ) + -isme -ism
Explanation
Places where armed government forces have a strong presence are usually under militarism. A system of militarism would probably buy weapons and outfit soldiers before anything else. Some countries govern through militarism to keep their territories under strong and often bullied rule and to let other countries know that they have guns and bombs and they're not afraid to use them — even on their own people. Militarism often is paired with other nouns like dictatorship showing the strict power of the leadership.
Vocabulary lists containing militarism
Fighting Words: Belli and Milit
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American History II
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World War I
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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.
Beijing’s apoplectic response to Takaichi’s perceived intervention in China’s affairs has included intense personal attacks on the new prime minister, often linking her with the militarism that fueled Japan’s brutal conduct in World War II.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025
It is a rallying cry against the gangster militarism and ruthless authoritarianism that enable such horrors, a reminder that our fight for the future is inextricably bound to the lives of the youngest among us.
From Salon ● Aug. 3, 2025
Some remain wary of anything that might be seen as militarism even now, and the armed forces have been chronically underfunded.
From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2025
The archaic society was known for the prowess of its soldiers and its brawny militarism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2025
These settler-soldiers perfected an approach to warfare that formed the basis of US militarism into the twenty-first century.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
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.
