militant

adjective

mil·​i·​tant ˈmi-lə-tənt 

1

: engaged in warfare or combat : fighting

2

: aggressively active (as in a cause) : combative

militant conservationists

a militant attitude

militant noun

militantly adverb

militantness noun

Synonyms of militant

• aggressive
• hostile

Choose the Right Synonym for militant

aggressive, militant, assertive, self-assertive mean obtrusively energetic especially in pursuing particular goals.

aggressive implies a disposition to dominate often in disregard of others' rights or in determined and energetic pursuit of one's ends.

aggressive in his business dealings

militant also implies a fighting disposition but suggests not self-seeking but devotion to a cause, movement, or principle.

militant protesters rallied against the new law

assertive suggests bold self-confidence in expression of opinion.

the more assertive speakers dominated the forum

self-assertive connotes forwardness or brash self-confidence.

a self-assertive young upstart

Examples of militant in a Sentence

an angry and militant speech

political radicals with a militant unwillingness to compromise on any issue

Recent Examples on the Web

While the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians goes back decades, the recent war erupted on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out attacks on Israel that left some 1,200 dead and took 251 hostages captive. —Jason Lemon, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025

Pakistan has suffered several militant attacks inside its country, and has blamed most of them on the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. —Arkansas Online, 7 Dec. 2025

Its 2025 entrant, Yuval Raphael, was at the Nova music festival, a target of the October 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel that triggered the Gaza war. —Olivia Le Poidevin, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025

Israel intended to use Abu Shabab’s militia to weaken Hamas, as an alternative to the militant group’s Islamist rule. —Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

militant

adjective

mil·​i·​tant ˈmil-ə-tənt 

1

: being at war

2

: aggressively active especially in a cause

militant protesters

militant noun

militantly adverb

militantness noun