as in partisans
one who is intensely or excessively devoted to a cause
militants within the movement insisted that there could be no compromise on the issue
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Recent Examples of militants
The teens were also said to have been involved in online groups recruiting fighters for IS militants in Syria and shared a fascination with violence and hatred against Jews, LGBTQ+ people and others, officials said.
—
ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026
The separatists have been fighting for years to create an independent state in northern Mali, while militants aligned with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State group have been fighting the government for more than a decade.
—Wilson McMakin, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Israel and Lebanon yesterday agreed to extend a ceasefire by three weeks, though some clashes between Israel and Hezbollah militants have continued, with each accusing the other of breaching the agreement.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
Following military coups, the juntas in the three countries have turned from Western allies to Russia for help in combating Islamic militants.
—CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
With Beirut unwilling to risk civil war by confronting the militants directly — especially while Israel occupies Lebanese territory — the ceasefire offers some reprieve.
—Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Antisemitic attacks have surged worldwide since October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants crossed the border into Israel for an attack that provoked a ferocious response from Israel that’s razed large parts of Gaza and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
In two separate encounters on Monday, the Israeli air force struck and killed Hezbollah militants that the military said approached its troops in a threatening way.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Apr. 2026
The Assad family, members of the sect, ruled Syria for over half a century until Bashar was ousted in December by Sunni Islamist militants who sought to reshape the country’s political and sectarian order.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026
The separatists have been fighting for years to create an independent state in northern Mali, while militants aligned with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State group have been fighting the government for more than a decade.
—Wilson McMakin, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Israel and Lebanon yesterday agreed to extend a ceasefire by three weeks, though some clashes between Israel and Hezbollah militants have continued, with each accusing the other of breaching the agreement.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 25 Apr. 2026
Following military coups, the juntas in the three countries have turned from Western allies to Russia for help in combating Islamic militants.
—CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
With Beirut unwilling to risk civil war by confronting the militants directly — especially while Israel occupies Lebanese territory — the ceasefire offers some reprieve.
—Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Antisemitic attacks have surged worldwide since October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants crossed the border into Israel for an attack that provoked a ferocious response from Israel that’s razed large parts of Gaza and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
In two separate encounters on Monday, the Israeli air force struck and killed Hezbollah militants that the military said approached its troops in a threatening way.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Apr. 2026
The Assad family, members of the sect, ruled Syria for over half a century until Bashar was ousted in December by Sunni Islamist militants who sought to reshape the country’s political and sectarian order.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for militants
Noun
-
This rhetoric is not just the thoughtless ramblings of mindless partisans.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Republicans are all in on giving away goodies to their co-partisans and fermenting a code that looks like Swiss cheese.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The state’s two largest public pension systems, which Cohen sits on the board of, have not divested from fossil fuels despite activists urging the funds to do so.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The casual acknowledgement of brushing off offers of bribes alarmed some Republican activists, who will endorse a candidate for governor at their state convention on May 16.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Anti-porn crusaders of all ilks also hijacked the news of Radvinsky’s passing for their various pro-censorship agendas.—
Gustavo Turner,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
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But the 76-year-old congressman from New York is one of Washington’s few prominent crusaders against the sports-betting industry.—
McKay Coppins,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Militants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militants. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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