Words / C1

MIL-it-uh-nt/ˈmɪlɪtənt/

Militant means using or favouring confrontational, often extreme, methods for a cause: militant activists, a militant tone. Keen and committed are milder; aggressive is wider; military is of the army — a lookalike. Do not call a polite, complete complaint militant to dismiss it.

Meaning

Using or favouring confrontational, often extreme, methods for a cause.

Examples

• “A militant email is still not a submitted ethics form.”
• “Committed is everyday and calmer. Aggressive can be any domain. A militant (noun) is a person. Military is armed forces. Volume in the inbox is not a filing.”

Good to know

Confrontational in a cause. Milder: committed. Wider: aggressive. Mix-up: military. A complete form is not “militant”.

Near in meaning

aggressive

New