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
CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2025
Newcastle’s competitive insurgency is pretty convincing — if only Europe’s elite would buy into it.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 29 July 2025
To sustain the campaign’s military achievements for the long term and prevent secured areas from falling into Hamas’s hands, anarchy or insurgency, the plan assumed that an alternative governance structure to Hamas would emerge in areas where the organization was defeated.
—Assaf Orion, Foreign Affairs, 3 June 2025
Whether partners can rise to the task amid growing insurgencies and rival powers will shape the future of U.S.-Africa relations and regional stability.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 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 20 Aug. 2025.
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insurgency
noun
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