militant 1 of 2

1
2

militant

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective militant contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of militant are aggressive, assertive, and self-assertive. While all these words mean "obtrusively energetic especially in pursuing particular goals," 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

When would aggressive be a good substitute for militant?

The synonyms aggressive and militant are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

In what contexts can assertive take the place of militant?

In some situations, the words assertive and militant are roughly equivalent. However, assertive suggests bold self-confidence in expression of opinion.

the more assertive speakers dominated the forum

When is it sensible to use self-assertive instead of militant?

The words self-assertive and militant can be used in similar contexts, but self-assertive connotes forwardness or brash self-confidence.

a self-assertive young upstart

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of militant
Adjective
Israel and the United States accuse the Hamas militant group of stealing aid. Arkansas Online, 9 June 2025 Israel recently acknowledged supporting local armed groups opposed to the militant group Hamas. Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel is arming clans in the Gaza Strip to combat Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that Israel has been fighting for almost 20 months. Daniel Estrin, NPR, 5 June 2025 The Israeli military has intensified operations in Gaza since breaking a fragile ceasefire with Hamas in March, taking more territory with the government pushing to wipe out the Islamist militant group. Reuters, NBC news, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for militant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for militant
Adjective
  • Addressing the Obvious Critiques Yes, 3–4% real growth is aggressive.
    Don Muir, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • After the aggressive animal showed no signs of leaving, the woman’s boyfriend fatally shot it, officials said.
    Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2025
Adjective
  • The Counterfeit Opera arrives as part of Little Island’s commendably ambitious second season of summer programming.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 June 2025
  • The $8 billion asking price, related by people close to the process, struck a few bidders as ambitious.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 12 June 2025
Noun
  • Only the most punch-drunk partisan would give Republicans as much as a 50-50 chance of succeeding Gavin Newsom.
    Mark Barabak, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Though the central bank’s partisans will claim in breathy tones that the Fed’s thinking and decisions aren’t compromised by the tawdry politics that so many associate with Washington, the reality is quite different.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • The crowd was right on top of you there, the students rimmed the court, the very definition of a hostile environment.
    Jim Calhoun with Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2025
  • That’s coupled with a more hostile political environment for diversity-forward businesses.
    Phoebe Liu, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • Sanders’s Senate counterpart, Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), is a fierce Trump critic.
    David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2025
  • Meta’s big bet on Wang fits into CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s plans to bolster his company’s AI efforts amid fierce competition from OpenAI and Google-parent Alphabet.
    Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • Boards that engage intelligently with thoughtful activists, rather than reflexively resisting, will be better placed to steer their companies toward long-term success.
    Alexander Savin, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Israeli forces early Monday detained an aid boat bound for Gaza while carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists.
    Bradford Betz , Yonat Friling, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • In the space of a year, the major record labels have shifted from legal crusaders to would-be business partners.
    Virginie Berger, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • If only the show’s many plot twists didn’t limit its parallel accounts of abrasive crusaders navigating a flawed criminal justice system by limiting viewers’ perspective on Merritt (Chloe Pirrie).
    Judy Berman, Time, 30 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Militant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militant. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on militant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!