as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
the level of militance varied significantly among the activist groups
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of militance
This is compounded by the economic impacts of the Trump trade pressures, the global backlash of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the declining fortunes of national technology champion Huawei, and other reactions to growing China militance and chauvinism.
—
Therese Shaheen, National Review, 1 Sep. 2020
The flamboyance, militance, and violence of the 1960s left might not have worked right away, after all.
—Samuel Goldman, The Week, 6 Jan. 2022
The human relationship to fire on this specific piece of land was not always one of fear, anxiety, and militance.
—Manjula Martin, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2021
As spring turned to summer and the pandemic seemed to be at its end, the Haredim reunited, bonded at first by impatience with public-health guidelines and then by a growing militance about the central government’s response.
—New York Times, 25 Feb. 2021
Nearly every artist had a go at exalting Zapata for his deep rootedness in native soil as well as for his dashing militance.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2020
That militance was frowned upon by Isaacson and others who favored a civilized political approach.
—BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2019
Love shows up, even in power struggles where Queen’s militance clashes with Slim’s attempts at being level headed.
—Jasmine Grant, Essence, 3 Dec. 2019
The Great Depression and America’s 1941 entry into WWII posed some complicated challenges to this legacy, as labor militance took a back seat at times of national emergency.
—Kim Kelly, The New Republic, 27 Sep. 2019
Therese Shaheen, National Review, 1 Sep. 2020
The flamboyance, militance, and violence of the 1960s left might not have worked right away, after all.
—Samuel Goldman, The Week, 6 Jan. 2022
The human relationship to fire on this specific piece of land was not always one of fear, anxiety, and militance.
—Manjula Martin, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2021
As spring turned to summer and the pandemic seemed to be at its end, the Haredim reunited, bonded at first by impatience with public-health guidelines and then by a growing militance about the central government’s response.
—New York Times, 25 Feb. 2021
Nearly every artist had a go at exalting Zapata for his deep rootedness in native soil as well as for his dashing militance.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2020
That militance was frowned upon by Isaacson and others who favored a civilized political approach.
—BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2019
Love shows up, even in power struggles where Queen’s militance clashes with Slim’s attempts at being level headed.
—Jasmine Grant, Essence, 3 Dec. 2019
The Great Depression and America’s 1941 entry into WWII posed some complicated challenges to this legacy, as labor militance took a back seat at times of national emergency.
—Kim Kelly, The New Republic, 27 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for militance
Noun
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According to her July 2025 report to the UN Human Rights Council, Albanese claimed the U.S. may be ‘liable for the international crime of aggression’ for President Trump's strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
9 July 2025
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Rotating Carriers To Multiple Hotspots USS Nimitz is now operating in the Red Sea to deter further aggression from Iran and its regional proxies.—
Peter Suciu,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Noun
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In our experience we were met with outright hostility for our Christian beliefs.—
BJ,
Denver Post,
3 July 2025
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But these weaknesses stem largely from underfunding and political hostility – not from any intrinsic flaw in the model.—
Sumit Agarwal,
The Conversation,
3 July 2025
Noun
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Pakistan blames Afghanistan for militancy Pakistan accuses Afghans of staging militant attacks inside the country, saying assaults are planned from across the border — a charge Kabul’s Taliban government denies.—
Elena Becatoros,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025
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While the Indian government has said that militancy has since declined amid a heavy military presence, attacks have continued to plague the region, sparking unrest and protests.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Small acts of defiance are happening in real life, too.—
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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Four years later, an America-first cultural crackdown has freed the Met to cast off the hair shirt of reckoning and celebrate its diverse holdings in a spirit of defiance.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Militance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militance. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
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