militancy

[ mil-i-tuhn-see ]

noun

1. aggressive activism or combativeness in supporting or agitating for a cause:

   Many labor experts credit the early militancy of the Industrial Workers of the World as leading to the eight-hour work day.

2. the act of engaging or readiness to engage in war or armed aggression:

   In September 1914, Planck signed the "Manifesto of 93 German intellectuals to the civilized world" in support of the growing militancy of Germany.

Other Words From

• hy·per·mil·i·tant·cy noun
• non·mil·i·tan·cy noun
• su·per·mil·i·tan·cy noun
• ul·tra·mil·i·tan·cy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of militancy¹

milit(ant) ( def ) + -ancy ( def )

Example Sentences

The elections in 2024 were closely watched as federal officials held them up as a proof of normalcy in a region facing militancy for decades.

From BBC

Nestled in the mountains of Indian-administered Kashmir, Shopian - once a hotbed of militancy - sees a steady stream of voters entering a polling booth.

From BBC

But there seems to be a sharp uptick in violence in recent months, particularly in Jammu, stoking fears of militancy returning to that region.

From BBC

The groundswell of defiance has driven many to a level of farming militancy not seen in decades.

From Seattle Times

Government officials have also grown anxious, lashing out at Iran and warning that the Israel-Hamas war has stoked the embers of Islamic militancy and blown them all the way to Latin America.

From Seattle Times