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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Recent Examples of militants
The first phase of the October ceasefire that paused two years of war between Israel and Hamas militants focused on the return of all remaining hostages in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces in Gaza.
—
Arkansas Online, 22 Jan. 2026
Nigeria’s military announced Wednesday that 62 hostages were rescued, and two militants were killed in a pair of operations against armed groups, a report said.
—Greg Norman-Diamond, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The Israeli military said militants have killed three of its soldiers during the same period.
—CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
If fighting continues, the most effective counter-terrorism forces in Syria may soon be dismantled or outright destroyed, and thousands of ISIS militants and sympathizers freed, which preliminary reports suggest might already be underway.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The Israeli military has carried out large-scale operations in the West Bank targeting militants that have killed hundreds of Palestinians.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Last year, Turkey reached a historic turning point in its decades-long conflict with militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) after the group renounced violence and ambitions to secede.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
Maersk first tacked on these surcharges at the start of the Red Sea crisis in December 2023, when Houthi militants in Yemen began to launch drone and missile attacks against commercial ships passing through the waterway.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
The Assad family, members of the sect, ruled Syria for over half a century until Bashar was ousted in December by Sunni Islamist militants who sought to reshape the country’s political and sectarian order.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
Arkansas Online, 22 Jan. 2026
Nigeria’s military announced Wednesday that 62 hostages were rescued, and two militants were killed in a pair of operations against armed groups, a report said.
—Greg Norman-Diamond, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The Israeli military said militants have killed three of its soldiers during the same period.
—CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
If fighting continues, the most effective counter-terrorism forces in Syria may soon be dismantled or outright destroyed, and thousands of ISIS militants and sympathizers freed, which preliminary reports suggest might already be underway.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The Israeli military has carried out large-scale operations in the West Bank targeting militants that have killed hundreds of Palestinians.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Last year, Turkey reached a historic turning point in its decades-long conflict with militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) after the group renounced violence and ambitions to secede.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
Maersk first tacked on these surcharges at the start of the Red Sea crisis in December 2023, when Houthi militants in Yemen began to launch drone and missile attacks against commercial ships passing through the waterway.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
The Assad family, members of the sect, ruled Syria for over half a century until Bashar was ousted in December by Sunni Islamist militants who sought to reshape the country’s political and sectarian order.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for militants
Noun
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Even the country’s most panicked partisans wouldn’t put money on Comey serving a day in prison for the serious crimes he’s charged with.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
21 Jan. 2026
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Reaching new voters Most Democrats accept Texas’ GOP tilt, saying their best chance lies in attracting more younger voters, disaffected nonvoters, teachers, service workers and soft partisans who often skip nonpresidential elections.—
Karen Brooks Harper,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Throughout 2025, national organizing groups worked to build a network of hundreds of thousands of activists engaged in their communities and civic life.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
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Whistle blasts pierced the early January chill in a now-familiar community response employed by activists in US cities to alert neighbors to the presence of immigration officers.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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For now, privacy crusaders are left to wait.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
31 Dec. 2025
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From anti-porn crusaders to major Statehouse players Founded in the basement of College Hill Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati in 1983, CCV, then called Citizens for Community Values, was waging culture wars before they were even called culture wars.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
14 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Militants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militants. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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