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
German-speaking people sought new opportunities, refuge from crop failure and liberty from oppression stemming from militarism to stamp out revolutions in the 1840s.
—
Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 3 July 2025
That’s the Rainbow Coalition-ish left; the other left has some overlap in its opposition to corporate capitalism and US militarism, but very different operating principles.
—Rebecca Solnit
february 23, Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2024
The ayatollahs have deprived the country of a prosperous civil society, channelling resources instead into militarism and messianic fantasy.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
Iran had significantly ramped up its enrichment capacity, with even the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (not exactly friendly to Israeli militarism) having determined that Iran had been enriching uranium well beyond the level of civilian use, and closer to military grade.
—The Editors, National Review, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for militarism
Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 3 July 2025
That’s the Rainbow Coalition-ish left; the other left has some overlap in its opposition to corporate capitalism and US militarism, but very different operating principles.
—Rebecca Solnit
february 23, Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2024
The ayatollahs have deprived the country of a prosperous civil society, channelling resources instead into militarism and messianic fantasy.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
Iran had significantly ramped up its enrichment capacity, with even the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (not exactly friendly to Israeli militarism) having determined that Iran had been enriching uranium well beyond the level of civilian use, and closer to military grade.
—The Editors, National Review, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for militarism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for militarism
Noun
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The statistics — more passes, more involvement in build-up, better aerial aggression — reinforce what the eye test shows.—
Matt Pyzdrowski,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
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Putin is a war criminal, guilty of the worst aggression in Europe since World War II.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But their methods could often cross over into condescension, Palmer argues, mirroring the attitudes of imperialism that the Soviets often criticized.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
8 Aug. 2025
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To make matters worse for the euro, the geopolitical threat to Europe posed by Russian imperialism has given central bankers yet another reason to steer clear of the currency. Efforts to promote other upstart reserve currencies have so far gone nowhere.—
Edward Fishman,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The ingredients that have made up Russian political culture during the Putin era—a complex blend of Soviet, post-Soviet, imperial Russian, and modern Russian elements—will have to be replaced by a cruder, more overt Russian jingoism.—
Michael Kimmage,
Foreign Affairs,
27 Sep. 2022
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India's jingoism and war hysteria should be a source of serious concern for the world.—
Peter Aitken
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
Noun
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The weight of evidence indicates that Emery’s side, in defiance of their ongoing challenges, will not collapse completely because of an inherent robustness.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
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The move comes in direct defiance of President Donald Trump, who rolled back immigration enforcement protection earlier this year for specialfspaces like churches and schools.—
Liam Hibbert,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Militarism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militarism. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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