militate

verb

mil·i·tate ˈmi-lə-ˌtāt

militated; militating

intransitive verb

: to have weight or effect

his boyish appearance militated against his getting an early promotion

Mitigate vs. Militate: Usage Guide

Mitigate is sometimes used as an intransitive (followed by against) where militate might be expected. Even though Faulkner used it

some intangible and invisible social force that mitigates against him —

William Faulkner

and one critic thinks it should be called an American idiom, it is usually considered a mistake.

Examples of militate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

All of those things militated to blunt and really turn aside the Iranian attack. —

CBS News, 11 Aug. 2024 So too in the Exodus story did Moses hit the rock after the Jews militated for water (Exodus 17:1–7). —

Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 24 June 2024 The plain text, historical context, and unbroken understanding of the HEROES Act still militate directly against President Biden’s action. —

Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 28 Feb. 2023 The grown-up will vainly make the case for a three-course meal at that highly rated trailside bistro, while the kid, content to run on Gatorade and Clif bars, will militate for pit stops at playgrounds and amphibian-friendly bogs. —

Taras Grescoe, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2021 See all Example Sentences for militate