jihad

noun

ji·​had ji-ˈhäd How to pronounce jihad (audio)
chiefly British -ˈhad
variants or less commonly jehad
1
: a holy war waged on behalf of Islam as a religious duty
also : a personal struggle in devotion to Islam especially involving spiritual discipline
2
: a crusade for a principle or belief

Examples of jihad in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Oh, and your followers have launched a jihad in your name that’s causing the body count to climb to dizzying heights. Brent Lang, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026 Because that is a theocratic regime who is hell-bent on global jihad. NBC news, 12 Apr. 2026 These people have read that Chicago is the new front line in the culinary jihad. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026 Pakistan became a front-line state supporting the Afghan jihad against invading Soviet forces. Rabia Akhtar, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jihad

Word History

Etymology

Arabic jihād

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jihad was in 1837

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jihad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jihad. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.

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