as in aggression
the opinions or actions of people who believe that a country should use military methods, forces, etc., to gain power and to achieve its goals
The administration has been criticized for the militarism of its foreign policy.
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Recent Examples of militarism
Bigelow has often been accused of being apolitical—or, because of her fascination with the codes, rites, and aesthetics of men at war, of advancing a gung-ho fetishization of American militarism.
—
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025
People implemented racist clauses in housing deeds and rejected or offered outrageously predatory lending terms to nonwhites, permitting exceptions occasionally to Asians only by assuming their proximity to whiteness or to American militarism.
—Arabelle Sicardi, Allure, 9 Oct. 2025
This truth, in fact, can be extended to a significant number of other nations where science to varying degrees has been a victim of politicization, isolation, and retreat—Japan during the period of ultra-militarism, Spain under Franco, Iran in the hands of its theocratic regime.
—Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
But militarism and conquest of the landscape were major themes of the growing right-wing nationalism in Austria, in which Mörk became immersed.
—Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for militarism
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025
People implemented racist clauses in housing deeds and rejected or offered outrageously predatory lending terms to nonwhites, permitting exceptions occasionally to Asians only by assuming their proximity to whiteness or to American militarism.
—Arabelle Sicardi, Allure, 9 Oct. 2025
This truth, in fact, can be extended to a significant number of other nations where science to varying degrees has been a victim of politicization, isolation, and retreat—Japan during the period of ultra-militarism, Spain under Franco, Iran in the hands of its theocratic regime.
—Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
But militarism and conquest of the landscape were major themes of the growing right-wing nationalism in Austria, in which Mörk became immersed.
—Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for militarism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for militarism
Noun
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This is a deliberate choice of aggression when diplomacy and security were within reach.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
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Don’t yell at your cat or punish it, as this can lead to aggression and other behavioral problems.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Objects like dominos and leaves, which figure into the history of Caribbean imperialism, are fashioned from steel and wood.—
Evan Nicole Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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Bad Bunny commenced his historic performance with a stage set evoking Puerto Rican history, beginning with the brutal legacy of Spanish imperialism on the island.—
Raquel Reichard,
Refinery29,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Trotter said that aggressiveness is intentional, particularly as a blitzer.—
Zach Sweet,
Kansas City Star,
25 Feb. 2026
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But Allar didn’t play well in six games as a senior, struggling with inconsistency and aggressiveness.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Tapping into national pride — dare say jingoism — might have done the trick.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
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The positive feelings people have toward their community translate directly into civic engagement, without the risk of increasing negative feelings such as jingoism or xenophobia.—
Sean Richey,
The Conversation,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Successors have fewer incentives to compromise and greater incentives to demonstrate defiance.—
Robert A. Pape,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Amini’s defiance, and subsequent death, caused the country to erupt in protest, and the outrage reverberated worldwide.—
Lily Moayeri,
Rolling Stone,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Militarism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militarism. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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