as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
the level of militance varied significantly among the activist groups
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of militance
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
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
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
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
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
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
-
Chelsea could not handle the aggression, strength, movement, jumping, heading, passing or vision that pair showed in December.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
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The group's comeback follows a nearly four-year hiatus driven by South Korea’s mandatory military service, which requires most able-bodied men to serve 18 to 21 months under a conscription system aimed at deterring aggression from North Korea.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And though some executives have noted his methodical approach can be difficult when making deals, others have praised his overall aggressiveness.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
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Still, Bridges insists aggressiveness is not the issue.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Traders have been worried over the hostilities in the Middle East.—
Jeff Cox,Sean Conlon,Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The administration's hostility toward renewables is having an effect.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This is not merely a bilateral border crisis but a layered security contest shaped by cross-border militancy, emerging technologies and competing threat narratives.—
Rabia Akhtar,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
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Conflict is more entrenched in Guerrero than in most Mexican states, with a history of militancy dating back to guerrilla movements in the 1960s.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
So far, Tehran appears to be in no hurry, projecting defiance in the face of what would be a significant escalation and a devastating blow to the country.—
Zach LaChance,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
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Lola’s father, for example, also had a history of defiance against the government alongside Cora (who Torres plays with paternal patience, as a man who’s seen the decades come and go on the island).—
Carlos Aguilar,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Militance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militance. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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