C1noun5K

Militant

UK /["/ˈmɪlɪtənt/"]/US /["/ˈmɪlɪtənt/"]/

Definition

a person who uses, or is willing to use, force or strong pressure to achieve their aims, especially to achieve social or political change

In simple words: Someone who takes strong, aggressive action for a cause.

Examples

  • Student militants were fighting with the police.

Usage notes

Use 'militant' to describe aggressive actions or attitudes, often in political or social contexts. It may not be suitable in casual conversations and can carry negative connotations.

Grammar pattern

standalone adjective

Memory hint

Sounds like 'military'—think of soldiers who are very aggressive about their beliefs.

Collocations

  • militant group
  • militant attitude
  • militant action
  • militant ideology

Synonyms

  • extremist
  • activist
  • radical
  • fighter
  • zealot

Antonyms

  • pacifist
  • submissive
  • peaceful

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'military' — remember militant focuses on activism.
  • Using militant to refer to peaceful activists — it implies aggression.
  • Misplacing the word in context, forgetting it describes a person's attitude.