militants

noun

plural of militant
as in partisans
one who is intensely or excessively devoted to a cause militants within the movement insisted that there could be no compromise on the issue

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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 militants Israel’s military said that Tuesday’s strike had targeted a meeting of four Hamas commanders and additional militants, including one who had participated in the 2023 attack. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Islamabad accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of harboring militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan — a charge Kabul denies. — Abdul Qahar Afghan, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026 Al-Nuzaili claimed that dozens of Houthi militants had been killed or wounded. — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026 Figures like Ben-Gvir have become more popular among Israelis since Hamas’ brutal attack in 2023, when the militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostage. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 Boko Haram militants in Nigeria are using (mostly closed) AI to plan attacks and gain tactical advantages, The New York Times reported. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 9 Aug. 2026 That standoff lasted 41 days, ending with the arrest of the militants and the death of one, rancher Robert LaVoy Finicum, who was shot by law enforcement. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Zaidi was supposed to visit Riyadh in late July, but the trip was canceled due to the strikes, which killed 20 militants, including five Iranians, on July 29. — Mark Osborne, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, the war in Afghanistan spilled into Pakistan, where the United States carried out hundreds of drone strikes against militants attacking American troops across the border. — Michael Fuchs, Foreign Affairs, 6 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for militants
  1. partisans
  2. activists
  3. crusaders
Noun
  • Harald paid tribute to the Norwegian partisans who had fought alongside the Soviets during World War II, helping to restore the memory of a segment of the population that had long been marginalized in the official narrative of the war.
    — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • This week’s Pollwatcher answers a reader’s question about how polls select respondents and highlights how partisans in one state have flipped on a Democratic senator.
    — Scott Clement, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of partisans
Noun
  • For years, its players and agents and team officials and fans have argued that its professional athletes are, by their very existence, activists.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • An art installation by the Guerilla Girls, anonymous artist activists, invited fans to air their grievances on chalkboards.
    — James Pollard, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of activists
Noun
  • The book is full of stories of villains, like the venomous heroin that took so many of Seattle’s crusaders as well as the music industry that never quite understood where Soundgarden belonged.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 9 June 2026
  • The facility remains popular among anti-immigrant crusaders, and Attorney General Uthmeier’s campaign store sells Alligator Alcatraz bumper stickers, T-shirts, and caps.
    — Eric Schlosser, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
Definition of crusaders

Browse Nearby Words

militantness
militants
militarism
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Cite this Entry

“Militants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militants. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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