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
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 19 Apr. 2025
The longest war in U.S. history ended in August 2021 with a decisive defeat for the allied government in Kabul and the Taliban swiftly retaking power after 20 years of insurgency.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Such a decision could see the Israeli military occupying the territory and fighting insurgencies for years.
—Eugenia Yosef, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
Balochistan borders Iran and Afghanistan and has long been the scene of insurgency.
—arkansasonline.com, 13 Mar. 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 3 May. 2025.
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insurgency
noun
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