terrorism
- the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
- the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
- a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.
Origin of terrorism
Related Words
homicidelynchingmassacrefelonycrimedestructionbloodshedshootingmanslaughterassassinationterrorismatheismlawlessnessanarchyautocracyoppressiondominationcrueltyauthoritarianismdespotismExamples from the Web for terrorism
Contemporary Examples
Terrorism is bad news anywhere, but especially rough on Odessa, where the city motto seems to be “make love, not war.”
She is the author of Dirty Entanglements: Corruption, Crime and Terrorism (Cambridge University Press).
ISIS, Boko Haram, and the Growing Role of Human Trafficking in 21st Century TerrorismLouise I. Shelley
December 26, 2014
Bush apologists, as always, are ready with excuses, like playing the Terrorism Card.
Terrorism must be driven out and eradicated from the region.
Terrorism gives me an opportunity to put people through an emotional experience.
Historical Examples
Terrorism tests aren't anywhere close to 99 percent accurate.
Little BrotherCory Doctorow
Terrorism is expedient in Russia and inexpedient in Germany and England.
AnarchismPaul Eltzbacher
Terrorism and deception are weapons not of the strong but of the weak.
Freedom's BattleMahatma Gandhi
Terrorism is seen to be a relatively gentle procedure, useful to keep in a state of obedience the masses of the people.
Gems (?) of German ThoughtVarious
Terrorism in ghastly forms is now a part of the German method of fighting the enemy.
A Journey Through France in War TimeJoseph G. Butler, Jr.
terrorism
- systematic use of violence and intimidation to achieve some goal
- the act of terrorizing
- the state of being terrorized
Word Origin and History for terrorism
n.
1795, in specific sense of "government intimidation during the Reign of Terror in France" (March 1793-July 1794), from French terrorisme, from Latin terror (see terror).
If the basis of a popular government in peacetime is virtue, its basis in a time of revolution is virtue and terror -- virtue, without which terror would be barbaric; and terror, without which virtue would be impotent. [Robespierre, speech in French National Convention, 1794]
General sense of "systematic use of terror as a policy" is first recorded in English 1798. At one time, a word for a certain kind of mass-destruction terrorism was dynamitism (1883); and during World War I frightfulness (translating German Schrecklichkeit) was used in Britain for "deliberate policy of terrorizing enemy non-combatants."
terrorism
Acts of violence committed by groups that view themselves as victimized by some notable historical wrong. Although these groups have no formal connection with governments, they usually have the financial and moral backing of sympathetic governments. Typically, they stage unexpected attacks on civilian targets, including embassies and airliners, with the aim of sowing fear and confusion. Israel has been a frequent target of terrorism, but the United States has increasingly become its main target. (See also September 11 attacks, Osama bin Laden, Hezbollah, and Basque region.)