as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
the level of militance varied significantly among the activist groups
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Recent Examples of militance
This is compounded by the economic impacts of the Trump trade pressures, the global backlash of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the declining fortunes of national technology champion Huawei, and other reactions to growing China militance and chauvinism.
—
Therese Shaheen, National Review, 1 Sep. 2020
The flamboyance, militance, and violence of the 1960s left might not have worked right away, after all.
—Samuel Goldman, The Week, 6 Jan. 2022
The human relationship to fire on this specific piece of land was not always one of fear, anxiety, and militance.
—Manjula Martin, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2021
As spring turned to summer and the pandemic seemed to be at its end, the Haredim reunited, bonded at first by impatience with public-health guidelines and then by a growing militance about the central government’s response.
—New York Times, 25 Feb. 2021
Nearly every artist had a go at exalting Zapata for his deep rootedness in native soil as well as for his dashing militance.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2020
That militance was frowned upon by Isaacson and others who favored a civilized political approach.
—BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2019
Love shows up, even in power struggles where Queen’s militance clashes with Slim’s attempts at being level headed.
—Jasmine Grant, Essence, 3 Dec. 2019
The Great Depression and America’s 1941 entry into WWII posed some complicated challenges to this legacy, as labor militance took a back seat at times of national emergency.
—Kim Kelly, The New Republic, 27 Sep. 2019
Therese Shaheen, National Review, 1 Sep. 2020
The flamboyance, militance, and violence of the 1960s left might not have worked right away, after all.
—Samuel Goldman, The Week, 6 Jan. 2022
The human relationship to fire on this specific piece of land was not always one of fear, anxiety, and militance.
—Manjula Martin, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2021
As spring turned to summer and the pandemic seemed to be at its end, the Haredim reunited, bonded at first by impatience with public-health guidelines and then by a growing militance about the central government’s response.
—New York Times, 25 Feb. 2021
Nearly every artist had a go at exalting Zapata for his deep rootedness in native soil as well as for his dashing militance.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2020
That militance was frowned upon by Isaacson and others who favored a civilized political approach.
—BostonGlobe.com, 26 Dec. 2019
Love shows up, even in power struggles where Queen’s militance clashes with Slim’s attempts at being level headed.
—Jasmine Grant, Essence, 3 Dec. 2019
The Great Depression and America’s 1941 entry into WWII posed some complicated challenges to this legacy, as labor militance took a back seat at times of national emergency.
—Kim Kelly, The New Republic, 27 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for militance
Noun
-
Gandhi’s strategy of collective and collaborative unity, rather than aggression, effectively dismantled British dominance.—
Dan Pontefract,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Russia was expelled from the G8, sanctioned by the West and ostracized on the global stage because of its aggression against Ukraine.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
America’s first Black female doctor also faced open hostility from the white medical establishment.—
Ella Jeffries,
Smithsonian Magazine,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Despite frequent instances of both sides accusing one another of violating the truce, the elusive breakthrough led to the longest cessation of hostilities since the war began, as well as the release of 33 Israelis from Hamas captivity and nearly 2,000 Palestinians from Israeli prisons.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
By the time Moynihan’s second paper came out, many white liberals, distracted by the war in Vietnam and disenchanted by Black militancy, had given up on the crusade for civil rights.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
-
The country also continues to struggle with militancy in two of its provinces bordering Afghanistan, where separatists and extremist groups regularly launch attacks on police, soldiers and civilians.—
Betsy Joles,
NPR,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
She was shown writing her real name (girls and women in Gilead are forbidden to read and write) and giving the camera a signature June look of defiance.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Below ground, Red Ribbon, a hidden cocktail lounge, nods to Asheville’s spirited anti-Prohibitionists, who wore red ribbons as a symbol of defiance.—
Jenn Rice,
AFAR Media,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Militance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militance. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
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