insurgency
noun
Did you know?
Insurgencies fall into the category of "irregular warfare", since an insurgency normally lacks the organization of a revolution, even though it has the same aims. Revolutions often begin within a country's armed forces, whereas insurgencies often arise in remote areas, where they gain strength slowly by winning the confidence of rural populations. An insurgency may be based on ethnic or religious identity, or its roots may be basically political or economic. Since insurgencies are rarely strong enough to face a national army head-on, insurgents (often called guerrillas) tend to use such tactics as bombing, kidnapping, hostage taking, and hijacking.
Examples of insurgency in a Sentence
Ely Ratner, Foreign Affairs, 27 May 2025
While no group immediately claimed responsibility, Balochistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency, with an array of separatist groups staging attacks.
—Shane Croucher
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
Along with the sprint to crush the insurgency directly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has undertaken development initiatives, like building wider roads to the remote regions where the movement has thrived.
—Pragati K.b, New York Times, 21 May 2025
In the end, though, he and a handful of others were recaptured and held hostage by Uruguay’s military, in a bid to break the back of the insurgency.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for insurgency
Cite this Entry
“Insurgency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insurgency. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
insurgency
noun
Share