militarism

noun

mil·​i·​ta·​rism ˈmi-lə-tə-ˌri-zəm How to pronounce militarism (audio)
1
a
: predominance of the military class or its ideals
b
: exaltation of military virtues and ideals
2
: a policy of aggressive military preparedness
militarist noun or adjective
militaristic adjective
militaristically adverb

Examples of militarism in a Sentence

The administration has been criticized for the militarism of its foreign policy.
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.
German-speaking people sought new opportunities, refuge from crop failure and liberty from oppression stemming from militarism to stamp out revolutions in the 1840s. Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 3 July 2025 That’s the Rainbow Coalition-ish left; the other left has some overlap in its opposition to corporate capitalism and US militarism, but very different operating principles. Rebecca Solnit february 23, Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2024 The ayatollahs have deprived the country of a prosperous civil society, channelling resources instead into militarism and messianic fantasy. David Remnick, New Yorker, 21 June 2025 Iran had significantly ramped up its enrichment capacity, with even the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (not exactly friendly to Israeli militarism) having determined that Iran had been enriching uranium well beyond the level of civilian use, and closer to military grade. The Editors, National Review, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for militarism

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of militarism was in 1863

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Cite this Entry

“Militarism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/militarism. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

militarism

noun
mil·​i·​ta·​rism ˈmil-ə-tə-ˌriz-əm How to pronounce militarism (audio)
1
: control or rule by a military class
2
: extreme admiration and praise of military virtues and ideals
3
: a policy of aggressive military readiness
militarist noun
militaristic adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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