insurgency
noun
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Insurgencies fall into the category of "irregular warfare", since an insurgency normally lacks the organization of a revolution, even though it has the same aims. Revolutions often begin within a country's armed forces, whereas insurgencies often arise in remote areas, where they gain strength slowly by winning the confidence of rural populations. An insurgency may be based on ethnic or religious identity, or its roots may be basically political or economic. Since insurgencies are rarely strong enough to face a national army head-on, insurgents (often called guerrillas) tend to use such tactics as bombing, kidnapping, hostage taking, and hijacking.
Examples of insurgency in a Sentence
Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 16 Dec. 2025
In response, the Clinton administration established Plan Colombia, a multifaceted assistance program to confront drug trafficking, defeat the insurgency, and restore the effectiveness of the government.
—Kevin Whitaker, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025
The state's Somali community grew after the East African country descended into civil war in the early 1990s, causing scores of people to flee Somalia, which still faces instability, threats of insurgency and poverty.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
In this sense, the rebellion led by Joseph Cinque and his comrades sheds light not only on slave ship insurgencies, but also on the richness of African challenges to enslavement.
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insurgency
Cite this Entry
“Insurgency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insurgency. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.
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insurgency
noun
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