militarism

noun

mil·​i·​ta·​rism ˈmi-lə-tə-ˌri-zəm How to pronounce militarism (audio)
1
a
: predominance of the military class or its ideals
b
: exaltation of military virtues and ideals
2
: a policy of aggressive military preparedness
militarist noun or adjective
militaristic adjective
militaristically adverb

Examples of militarism in a Sentence

The administration has been criticized for the militarism of its foreign policy.
Recent Examples on the Web As Adler noted, police brutality, militarism and fascism also make appearances, a good reminder that our time is hardly unique in those concerns. Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 15 May 2024 Read More: Biden Condemns Campus Unrest Over Israel-Hamas War: 'None of This Is a Peaceful Protest’ Indeed, from the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 on, King understood the need for disruptive protest to upset norms of segregation, poverty, and militarism. TIME, 9 May 2024 That move is not without controversy, especially in China and other parts of Asia that suffered hugely under Japan’s World War II era militarism. Hanako Montgomery, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024 Not far from a bust of Frederick the Great (nationalism), a lavishly mustachioed army officer (militarism) marches pompously across the square. Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024 Likud long prided itself on combining staunch Jewish nationalism, even militarism, with a commitment to liberal democracy. Anshel Pfeffer, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2024 Some activists were part of the Third World Liberation Front, a student group that linked racial segregation and discrimination in the United States to colonialism, imperialism and militarism across the globe. Dana Goldstein, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 If Russia is not deterred, a renewal of its militarism could coincide with a confrontation between the United States and China over Taiwan. Alina Polyakova, Foreign Affairs, 1 Feb. 2024 Protesters from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and Drone Wars UK appeared outside the king's official residence in Edinburgh on Tuesday to highlight concerns about the environmental impact of spaceports and their role in bolstering militarism, The National reports. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 6 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'militarism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of militarism was in 1863

Dictionary Entries Near militarism

Cite this Entry

“Militarism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/militarism. Accessed 23 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

militarism

noun
mil·​i·​ta·​rism ˈmil-ə-tə-ˌriz-əm How to pronounce militarism (audio)
1
: control or rule by a military class
2
: extreme admiration and praise of military virtues and ideals
3
: a policy of aggressive military readiness
militarist noun
militaristic adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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