1
a
: a heavy military boot made of glossy black leather extending above the knee and worn especially during the 17th and 18th centuries
b
: a laceless military boot reaching to the calf
2
: the spirit or policy of militarism or totalitarianism
Examples of jackboot in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Half of the original 12 NATO countries — France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark and Norway — had been overrun and occupied by Nazi Germany and were only liberated from the genocidal regime’s jackboot four years earlier.
—
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 14 July 2024
At the same time, Egyptians came to see that their country's foreign policy was being warped for the sake of U.S. largesse -- and that the jackboots of the Interior Ministry awaited those who objected too loudly to this bargain.
—Steven A. Cook, Foreign Affairs, 2 Feb. 2011
And a flawed democracy is better than the military jackboot.
—Ayesha Jalal, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2024
While the Germans sent mixed messages about peace overtures, the West just waited for the next jackboot to drop.
—Sam Roberts, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2015
As a rebuke to warmongers, a monument from one Hohenzollern despot to another seems inapt and more like a hint to keep those hobnail jackboots handy.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 1 Apr. 2023
Or two pebbles in the same jackboot?
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 6 June 2021
While Wilson was crushing market freedom under the state’s remorseless jackboot, the young people of Swinging London were shagging their brains out.
—Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 6 Sep. 2022
Instead of creating same-jackboot-different-day dystopias like Logan's Run or Make Room!
—Madeline Ashby, Wired, 1 Dec. 2021
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 14 July 2024
At the same time, Egyptians came to see that their country's foreign policy was being warped for the sake of U.S. largesse -- and that the jackboots of the Interior Ministry awaited those who objected too loudly to this bargain.
—Steven A. Cook, Foreign Affairs, 2 Feb. 2011
And a flawed democracy is better than the military jackboot.
—Ayesha Jalal, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2024
While the Germans sent mixed messages about peace overtures, the West just waited for the next jackboot to drop.
—Sam Roberts, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2015
As a rebuke to warmongers, a monument from one Hohenzollern despot to another seems inapt and more like a hint to keep those hobnail jackboots handy.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 1 Apr. 2023
Or two pebbles in the same jackboot?
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 6 June 2021
While Wilson was crushing market freedom under the state’s remorseless jackboot, the young people of Swinging London were shagging their brains out.
—Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 6 Sep. 2022
Instead of creating same-jackboot-different-day dystopias like Logan's Run or Make Room!
—Madeline Ashby, Wired, 1 Dec. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jackboot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near jackboot
Cite this Entry
“Jackboot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackboot. Accessed 29 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jackboot
noun
jack·boot
-ˌbüt 
: a heavy military boot
especially
: one reaching above the knee
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