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
Tom Perry, USA Today, 15 May 2025
For years, the insurgency led to widespread destruction of southeast Turkey.
—Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 2025
The decision by the PKK, or Kurdistan Workers’ Party, promises to end one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East and could have significant impact in Turkey, Syria and Iraq.
—Suzan Fraser, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
All armed and criminal groups across Colombia have minors in their ranks, but the problem is most pronounced within the largest remaining historical insurgency, the ELN and dissidents of the former FARC.
—Elizabeth Dickinson, Foreign Affairs, 8 May 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 25 May. 2025.
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insurgency
noun
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