counterinsurgency

noun

coun·​ter·​in·​sur·​gen·​cy ˌkau̇n-tər-in-ˈsər-jən(t)-sē 

: organized military activity designed to combat insurgency

counterinsurgent

ˌkau̇n-tər-in-ˈsər-jənt 

noun

Examples of counterinsurgency in a Sentence

The military has launched a counterinsurgency.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ambriz has built a small army of foreign mercenaries, mostly former soldiers from Colombia who have experience in bomb-making and counterinsurgency tactics. —Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026

Through his writings about the French colonial war in Algeria, their man on the spot Roger Trinquier shaped US counterinsurgency strategy in the Vietnam War, particularly for the CIA. —Alfred McCoy, Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026

Airpower became a supporting arm for counterinsurgency operations rather than a primary instrument for achieving strategic and operational level effects. —David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026

Success in Germany and Japan after World War II contrasts with prolonged counterinsurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan in the last two decades. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for counterinsurgency

• emergency
• insurgency
• nonemergency
• urgency