terrorism

[ ter-uh-riz-uhm ]

noun

1. the unlawful use of violence or threats to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or government, with the goal of furthering political, social, or ideological objectives.
2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism.
3. a terrorist method of governing or of resisting a government.
4. intimidation or coercion by instilling fear:

   For many children, terrorism at school is a fact of life, even with antibullying policies in place.

terrorism

/ ˈtɛrəˌrɪzəm /

noun

1. systematic use of violence and intimidation to achieve some goal
2. the act of terrorizing
3. the state of being terrorized

terrorism

1. Acts of violence committed by groups that view themselves as victimized by some notable historical wrong. Although these groups have no formal connection with governments, they usually have the financial and moral backing of sympathetic governments. Typically, they stage unexpected attacks on civilian targets, including embassies and airliners, with the aim of sowing fear and confusion. Israel has been a frequent target of terrorism, but the United States has increasingly become its main target. ( See also September 11 attacks , Osama bin Laden , Hezbollah , and Basque region .)

Usage Note

There is some consistency in the various definitions of terrorism adopted by U.S. government departments, agencies, and organizations, and by other Western democracies. It is generally agreed that terrorism, even against a very small segment of a civilian population, always involves a broader threat meant to instill fear in a larger community, thus requiring a response from the government. However, since September 11, 2001, the question of what actually constitutes a terrorist act has been the focus of emotionally and politically charged debates. Violent acts by white extremists have often been categorized as hate crimes, whereas similar acts by Muslims and Black people have been categorized as terrorism. The categorization often hinges on whether the perpetrators are tied to an organized group.

Other Words From

• an·ti·ter·ror·ism adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of terrorism¹

First recorded in 1785–95; terror + -ism

Example Sentences

“We fought alongside them in the war against terrorism. If we had known we would be betrayed and abandoned, no one would have agreed to join hands with foreign forces.”

From BBC

Perhaps more than an actor raised outside of Belfast, Petticrew was able to understand on a visceral level what compelled Dolours to commit acts of terrorism.

From Los Angeles Times

These include collecting and communicating information useful to an enemy, namely Iran; collecting the names of Special Forces soldiers that would be useful for terrorism and perpetrating a bomb hoax at his army barracks.

From BBC

A week after the 7 October attacks, the government's independent reviewer of terrorism warned speeches at pro-Palestinian rallies in the UK might have glorified terrorism.

From BBC

These are collecting and communicating information useful to an enemy, namely Iran; collecting the names of Special Forces soldiers that would be useful for terrorism and perpetrating a bomb hoax at his army barracks.

From BBC

Related Words

• assault
• attack
• bloodshed
• brutality
• clash
• confusion
• cruelty
• disorder
• disturbance
• fighting
• rampage
• struggle