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Definition of militantism

militantism

/ˈmɪl.ɪ.tən.tɪz.əm/
mil · i · tant · ism
Adverb:militantly
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Plural:militantisms
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Adjective:militant
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militantism Lexical Profile

militantism Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The state, practice, or ideology of being aggressively active or combative in support of a political or social cause.

Example

"The group's increasing militantism ultimately alienated many of its more moderate supporters."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for militantism
Antonyms
View all antonyms for militantism

Word Nuance & Usage

Militantism refers specifically to aggressive, often non-state activism or extremism in support of a cause, and should not be confused with 'militarism', which denotes a state's reliance on institutional military strength and ideals.

• Nearby Words

milieu
militancy
militant
militantism
militantly
militarily
militarism

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the adjective 'militant' (from Latin 'militans', the present participle of 'militare', meaning 'to serve as a soldier') combined with the suffix '-ism', denoting a practice, system, or philosophy.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Militantism. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/militantism
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