militate
verb
mil·i·tate
ˈmi-lə-ˌtāt 
militated; militating
: 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
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
Where have the universities been militating for lower tax rates at the top?
—Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for militate
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Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for militate
Cite this Entry
“Militate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/militate. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
militate
verb
mil·i·tate
ˈmil-ə-ˌtāt
militated; militating
: to have weight or effect : operate
factors militating against success
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